Telepathic
by ZaraShade
Summary: Helen and Nikola find an ancient artefact that causes them to have a telepathic bond. Teslen fun.
1. Discovery

**Yay a new fic! You can thank (or blame, depending on how you like it) this on lastrequest, who wanted more fluffiness. I promise this one won't be so angsty! ;) **

**So, enjoy. :) **

**\\||\**

"Helen -,"

"Nikola, for the last time," Helen ground out, "No, we are not going home. Not until we've found the abnormal artefact that is in here."

"How do we know it's even in here?" Nikola said, petulantly, walking beside her. Kate and Henry exchanged an annoyed look behind the bickering pair.

They'd been searching for two days now in some tomb in Egypt. None of the 'children' even wanted to hazard a guess as to how their very well connected boss had pulled this one off. Surely someone would notice there were people traipsing through a cordoned off archaeological site, but apparently not. That, or Magnus had pulled strings so that the right people would be conveniently looking the other way. One thing was for sure, the scope of their boss's connections never ceased to amaze.

None of them were quite sure either why the sulking vampire had come along, aside from the obvious fact that he would miss far too many valuable opportunities to hit on their boss. He'd complained about almost everything since they'd arrived, from the heat of the Egyptian sun, to the sandiness of the desert, to the coldness of the tomb. They'd all seen Magnus's hand hover longingly over her gun more than enough times for them to know she was irked by him at the moment too.

Helen herself was loathe to actually shoot Nikola right now, not because she felt guilty about the act in itself, nor was it because of the incredible restraint she'd built up in his brief time as a mortal. No, it was more because she just knew he would use it as an excuse to whine even more once he'd healed. On the up side, his complaints about the temperature did distract him from any innuendo laden comments – for the moment.

Helen stopped abruptly, holding up a hand. None of them had been paying particular attention and so almost walked into the vampire and their boss.

"What is it?" Will said, shining his flash-light up to Magnus's face. She squinted and raised a hand to ward off the sudden flooding of light. "Sorry." He added sheepishly, shining the light in front of them instead.

"Dead end," Kate said, letting out a sigh. They were indeed standing in front of a solid stone wall. Helen's lips curled upwards.

"It's not a _dead end_," Nikola huffed in annoyance. Helen recognised the excited glimmer in his eyes. His previous complaints were forgotten in the face of an exciting discovery, as it always seemed to work with Nikola. She knew that the promise of whatever powerful abnormal artefact that was held inside the tomb was too exciting for him to ignore, even if he'd been sceptical in the first place. Nikola was a scientist with a thirst for knowledge and a formidable intellectual curiosity first and foremost after all.

"I see a wall," Will said, "I think that's what we usually call a dead end."

"I could have sworn these were the right coordinates," Henry muttered, furiously fiddling with the navigation device in his charge.

"Maybe they built over it?" Kate suggested. "Or our intel could just be bad?"

But when the 'children' looked over to see what Magnus and Tesla had to say, they saw that the pair had walked over to the wall, ignoring the others completely.

"Or the Doc and Vlad know what to do," Henry said, "_Of course_."

"It could be similar to the key-stone in Afina's tomb," Helen said, fingers brushing over the cool stone as she searched for a release button.

"Theoretically," Nikola agreed, "However that a vampire stronghold. This is human."

"As far as we know," Helen said.

Nikola straightened up, pausing in his search.

"What are you thinking, Helen?" he said.

"The artefact we were told about," Helen said, standing straight again too, "Was a _powerful abnormal _artefact. Do we really need further evidence to suggest that there is a possibility it is vampiric in origin?"

Nikola grinned. The idea of uncovering ancient vampire knowledge was too exciting and alluring to deny.

"As long as we don't find another stuck up in-bred bitch," he said as he began scouring the walls once more. Helen let out a laugh as she too recommenced her search.

They'd been moving closer together – as they had both started on opposite sides of the wall – until they stood side by side. Barely noticing this, they both spotted an almost invisible crack in the wall. Their minds both registered it seemingly at the same time and they reached out to press it. Helen shuddered at the contact with Nikola's hand, inwardly chastising herself for it. She quickly withdrew her hand. Before Nikola could make any comment about it, the door sprang to life, and a loud grating noise could be heard.

"Seems like no one's been down here for a while," Nikola commented.

The small group stood and watched as the stone wall ground to a halt, revealing a dark entrance-way. Helen pointed her flash-light through the archway shedding light on a small tunnel.

"Oh great," Kate muttered sarcastically, "More tunnels."

"No, I can see light at the end of this one," Helen said. Before any of them could say anything else, Helen had taken off down the tunnel with Nikola hot on her heels.

Just as Magnus had said, the tunnel was a short one, and they soon emerged in a large chamber. Once they'd walked inside the lanterns attached to the smooth stone walls sprung to life and cast an eerie orange glow over the room.

"Creepy," Will murmured, jumping as the room lit up.

Helen was much too preoccupied with the symbolic depictions carved into the walls to pay much attention to her edgy protégé.

"They're reminiscent of the ones in Afina's chamber," Nikola commented from beside her. She hadn't even noticed his approach. Helen simply nodded.

"I think it's safe to assume that this _is _a former vampire location," Helen said.

"What, like more of him?" Henry said, referring to Tesla. Nikola smirked.

"Please," Nikola bit back, "I have much better pedigree than that righteous stuck up -,"

"Nikola," Helen said in exasperation, "Now is not the time for your qualms about the former queen of the vampires."

"Hey Boss," Kate said. They turned to Kate who was looking at the end of the room where there stood two small columns raised up on a platform. "Do you think it's some sort of vampire voodoo worship altar?"

Nikola shot her a scathing look.

"Is it just me, or are the pillars glowing?" Henry said with more than a little concern in his voice.

"You're right, Henry," Helen said, walking closer, "The pillars do appear to be emitting a soft green light. Perhaps triggered at the same time as the lanterns were?"

"That's not any more comforting, Doc," Henry said. Helen merely smiled softly to the werewolf.

"I'm assuming that is what we came here for," Helen said.

Magnus walked up to the altar with the rest of the group following behind her. She climbed the short flight of stairs to the two pillars.

"Bracelets?" Nikola scoffed.

Indeed laying on each of the pillars was a bracelet. They were identical thin silver bands with a single turquoise gemstone in the centre.

"Ancient vampire bracelets, dude," Henry ramified. "Maybe they give you, like, awesome super-powers or something?" He added excitedly. He really did read too many comic books.

"But they're still _bracelets_," Nikola said with a look of disgust, "I hate jewellery." He added the last part under his breath, to which Helen just smiled. Oh she knew all about his hatred for jewellery, and would never admit that – for a long period of time – it had been why she had worn minimal jewellery.

"Um, is anyone else seeing this?" Will said.

They stood in front of the pillars which seemed to be steadily glowing brighter and brighter.

"Interesting," Helen said.

"Yeah I'd go with eerie," Will said.

"I agree with Will," Henry said. Kate rolled her eyes at the boys.

Helen reached out to touch one of the metal cuffs.

"Do you think that's a good idea, Helen?" Nikola said, with a worried expression on his face.

"Weren't you the one who was talking about intellectual curiosity overriding caution?" Helen said.

"Yes, well the last time..." Nikola trailed off and it was then Helen realised he was concerned _for _her. He was afraid that something like what had happened to him in Afina's tomb would happen to her. She was touched by his worry but knew there was only going to be one way to figure out what these cuffs did and that was by getting them back to the Sanctuary for study.

"If there were security measures," she said, "I would have thought they'd have already been enacted by us entering the chamber. The lights were triggered after all as well as the glowing of the pillars. Our presence has already been made."

It didn't do much to sooth Nikola's nerves, but then Helen had that gleam in her eyes that she got when on the verge of an exciting new discovery – and no one, _no one_, could dissuade her once she got to that stage.

"At least let me try first," Nikola offered.

"We both have Source Blood, Nikola," Helen pointed out.

"Yes but I'm so much harder to kill again," Nikola grinned.

"Oh, we know," Kate said sweetly. Helen smirked.

Nikola sighed dramatically and reached out to touch the bracelet nearest to him. He picked it up. There was a short pause, and nothing happened. There was a collective release of breath from the group when it was apparent nothing was going to blow up or something along those lines. Helen regarded Nikola for a moment before shrugging and reached to pick up the other bracelet.

Immediately the bracelet in Nikola's hand clamped onto his wrist as the other did to Helen's wrist.

"Ah...!" Nikola yelped. "Get if off!" He shook his hand violently.

Helen, who was a lot calmer than the vampire, tried to remove her own cuff but to no avail.

"Well, it seems we've been trapped by vampire jewellery," Helen commented eyeing her wrist.

"Uh, aside from the whole bling-factor," Kate said, "_Why_?"

Helen and Nikola exchanged a thoughtful look and then Helen shrugged.

"I don't feel any different," she said, "Nikola?"

"Nope," he said, "Except the horrible thoughts of germs crawling up my arm from this hideous thing." He shot the offending item a look and Helen couldn't help but notice how adorable he looked.

"They've likely been here for hundreds – if not thousands – of years untouched, Nikola," Helen said, "Take solace in the fact that any germs have probably died out long ago."

"Oh, how comforting," came his sarcastic reply.

"No need for sarcasm, Nikola," Helen said. Nikola's eyes widened and the others gave her curious looks. "What?"

"Why did you say that?" Will said.

"Say what?" Helen said, confused.

"Tell Tesla there was 'no need for sarcasm'?" Will said.

"I was responding to his remark," Helen said.

"He didn't say anything, Doc," Henry said.

"Yes he did," Helen said.

"No, he didn't, Boss," Kate said. The three of them exchanged worried glances.

_**Well this certainly is an interesting turn of events... **_

Helen jumped and her eyes widened. Nikola had said that, well at least she'd heard him say it, but she'd been looking at him and he hadn't spoken. Nikola smirked.

_**Telepathy? **_Helen remarked in her mind, to Nikola.

It was an odd sensation as she sent the mental communication to Nikola. It was instinctive almost, like speaking, but inside your mind.

_**It does seem that way, yes. **_He said, glancing down at the bracelet with a newfound curiosity and childlike joy. He grinned. _**This is going to be fun.**_

Helen could only groan.

\||\\

**Let the fun begin... :) **


	2. Testing

**Wow, you guys were so awesome with the reviews! They had me smiling all day. :)  
>I'm glad you all like the story so far. This chapter is a tiny bit shorter than the last one, but it's a bit of a filler.<br>Enjoy. :) **

\||\\

_**Helen. Helen. Helen. Helen. Helen.**_

She was going to kill him; she was actually certifiably irrefutably going to kill him. She was going to kill him, and then bury him and plant with cloves of garlic just because she knew it would bug him to follow the ridiculous made-up vampire rumour. She looked over at him and he grinned impishly. He was too damned cute when he grinned at her like that, all endearing and childlike – almost like back at Oxford.

_**Helen.**_

Maybe she wouldn't kill him. Not just yet anyway.

They'd been bound telepathically for a whole of three hours and Nikola – as expected – was beyond amused with this notion. His wildest dreams, well some of them, were coming true. He was connected to her mind. The thought alone both scared and thrilled her.

She and her team had spent that time searching the cavern and surrounding smaller caves for anything else – that might be of use in removing the bracelets, or indicate what they worked for. Not coming up with much else, Helen had decided it was time to head back to the Sanctuary. Nikola, of course, had spent most of those three hours making the most of their telepathic bond.

She'd figure out a way to get the bracelets off soon enough. They were obviously held on by some vampire technology – they'd tried everything they could think of at hand. The labs at the Sanctuary had much more equipment for such tasks; she just had to hold on – and not give Nikola any more ammunition – until then.

_**Helen.**_

_**Nikola...**_ she said in a warning tone.

It was quite remarkable how one could convey tone in one's own mind. She'd been experimentally trying it with Nikola – and receiving his own responsive metal pouts – for a while. It was one of the most bizarre sensations, well aside from the whole telepathic thing to begin with, having a sense of feeling from someone else.

Helen, Nikola and 'the children' as Nikola had so fondly (not that he would admit to that, though maybe she could get him to in his mind) dubbed them reconvened to pack up their things. Henry and the others kept eyeing the pair with a mixture of wariness and amusement.

"This is so weird, Doc," Henry said, slinging his pack onto his back, "I mean, he can hear your thoughts...and you can hear his."

"That _is_ what telepathy means, Wolf-boy," Nikola snapped, irately. He could be doing much better things right now than explaining this to Helen's insufferable children. He was linked telepathically to Helen Magnus! He shouldn't be talking it through; he should be delving into that delicious mind of hers to see what sinful little snippets he could find.

"Right, but, _he _can hear your thoughts, Doc?" Henry said, wide-eyed. Helen chuckled softly.

"It's alright, Henry," she assured, "Not _every _thought." She hoped. Nikola shot her a grin and she wondered if he _could _hear her every thought. Now she was just getting paranoid, she couldn't hear his every thought.

"That doesn't comfort me much, Doc," Henry said.

"Yeah, this is _Tesla _in your mind that we're talking about here, Magnus," Will agreed as he eyed Nikola suspiciously. The vampire himself wasn't helping matters much as he paced slowly around Helen, like a lion circling his prey.

"I'm in his mind too," Helen pointed out.

"For some reason, _that _doesn't do much to comfort either," Will commented.

_**Oh Helen my dear, you should know that you've **_**always **_**been in my mind. **_It was a strange feeling, but she could have sworn she could almost feel the leer in his voice. She wondered just how much these bracelets allowed the wearers to convey.

_**If you could keep your mind to the task at hand for a moment?**_ She mentally scolded.

"It's kind of cool," Kate grinned. Helen's eyes snapped to the younger woman. It was easy for her to say, shedidn't have a vampire whose main form of entertainment when they _weren't_ joined telepathically was showering her with innuendo laden comments.

_**It's not my main form of entertainment. **_Came his mental-voice. Damn, she had to remember to pay attention in not freely sharing her thoughts with him.

Helen narrowed her eyes at him and sighed. Henry was looking between the two like a lost puppy as Kate smirked.

_**I wonder if I can slap you in my mind... **_Helen mused.

Nikola's eyes lit up wickedly and Helen got a nervous feeling, not only that he liked the idea of her slapping him – in a completely different context, she was sure – but also that he was about to do something undoubtedly infuriating.

"My, Helen," he said, almost purring, and capturing the attention of her employees. "What _dirty _thoughts you have... though I always suspected."

"Nikola..." she growled in warning.

"Handcuffs, my dear?" he continued to the wide-eyed looks of shock from Will, Kate and Henry. "What's that? A whip too? Well, I suppose I could indulge your twisted little fantasies..."

Henry's jaw physically dropped then. Helen growled in frustration. She was going to kill him.

_**How did he know about the whip anyway?**_

_**Well I was making it up to see that alluring flustered redness on your cheeks darling but now I am quite intrigued. **_

_**Oh. Dear. God. **_

_**Practising for what you'll be screaming later?**_

Trying to filter her thoughts between what she shared with Nikola and what she didn't was confusing, and she hadn't quite got a handle on it yet. She couldn't stop the redness from spreading on her cheeks. . She was not usually one to be so shy about matters such as this – she was far too old for that – but there was something so flustering about Nikola.

_**I'd like to use that whip on him...**_

She had no idea where that thought had come from but she hadn't been able to stop it.

_**That can be arranged.**_ She heard his reply in her mind. Had she said – thought – that out loud too? Oh this was getting too mortifying.

_**Nikola, please do try and keep your mind out of the gutter.**_

_**You're the one whose mind is playing in the gutter, Helen. **_She could feel his smirk. What was more frustrating was that he was a little bit right, and she couldn't deny it, not with him lurking around in her head. He merely continued to grin like the cat who got the milk. Dear Lord she had to stop, or at least figure out how to better filter her thoughts.

"Um, Doc," Henry said, shuffling nervously from foot to foot, "If you two have finished can we maybe get out of here?"

Helen simply nodded.

_**Helen.**_

Nikola prompted as they began to walk to the tunnel that would lead them out of there. She ignored him for a moment. She was walking ahead of him, just behind Will, but she could still feel his smirk.

_**Stop grinning or I'll wipe that smirk off your face.**_

_**Getting all dominatrix already, my dear? And we're still in the presence of the children! **_

Dear Lord she was going to kill him.


	3. Meetings

**Once again guys – thank you for all the lovely reviews. Seriously, you're all awesome and if I could give you real Tesla-cookies I would... so instead I give you virtual Tesla-cookies. : ) **

\||\\

Helen had rushed away seemingly straight away once they walked through the Sanctuary doors. She needed to get as much distance between herself and a certain vampire as she could. She was getting better at controlling her thoughts, but then she'd looked over at him and her resolve would falter. Damn man.

Will, Kate and Henry had been alternating between amusement, confusion and utter horror. Nikola was enjoying using this to torture even them far too much, as Helen was sure imagining their boss using whips and handcuffs was _not _in the job description.

_**Helen, surely you realise that running away from me won't actually help? We are connected telepathically or have you forgotten?**_

_**If you would give me one moment's peace then maybe I could forget**_. She replied, and even she had to note it was a little sullen._**I'm not running away I'm just... grabbing a quick shower and some clean clothes before our staff meeting to discuss what we found.**_

_**Must we have a staff meeting? **_Helen almost laughed out loud at his mental petulance. She was finally beginning to get used to his feelings in her head, and was also starting to find them quite amusing.

_**Yes, perhaps you would also deign to bathe? **_She suggested.

_**Was that an offer? **_

Helen was infinitely proud of herself for letting _that _little comment provoke any shared thoughts of him... in a shower...soaking wet...

She heard Nikola's mental chuckle.

_**Never knew you fantasized about me in the shower, Helen. **_

Damn, she'd been going so well too.

_**Go...figure out how to fix something.**_

_**Helen, I'm hurt, truly. You don't want me in your mind?**_

_**I thought I'd made that painfully obvious from the very beginning.**_

_**You know me, I'm an optimist.**_

She snorted and she was sure he could feel her scepticism.

_**I for one, **_he continued, _**am enjoying this insurmountably, my dear. **_

_**I'm sure you are.**_ She countered wryly as she reached her bedroom physically.

_**In your mind, my dear, I've never felt more at home.**_

_**Shut up.**_

She could feel his chuckle and – not for the first time that day – quashed the urge to hunt him down and strangle him. As desirable as that concept seemed, she was sure given her earlier mental slips involving whips she was sure he would enjoy strangulation a little too much.

Helen managed to maintain a sort of mental block she had figured upon earlier. It was more of a gentle curtain of sorts, as they had discovered the other person could mentally prod the other or still manage to send through thoughts. It worked most effectively as a two-way thing, and she was grateful that Nikola was at least respecting her privacy at the moment. Though she could still sense his presence near-by, and could sense he was playing with something electrical in the labs. The thought of showering with Nikola actively present inside her head...

\||\\

Helen stood in her room, her fresh clothes laid out on her bed, as she began to dress. The shower had done her well, allowing her to free up her mind. Being away from Nikola, albeit briefly, had allowed her to calm down. She'd been on edge since the bracelets, for obvious reasons.

_**You're changing, aren't you?**_

_**Nikola could you not... remain in my mind whilst I change? I would like to maintain some boundaries.**_

_**But where would the fun be then?**_ He quipped.

_**This isn't supposed to be fun, Nikola. This is just until we can figure out a way to remove the bracelets. Now, stop dawdling in my wine cellar, our staff meeting is in ten minutes.**_

She could feel Nikola's momentary shock at her pinpointing his location. She smirked in victory. Yes, he wasn't the only one exploring their mental connection.

\||\\

Helen finished changing before heading off to the meeting in her office. Will and Kate were already present once she arrived, Henry entering moments after herself along with Big Guy.

"Where's Vlad?" Kate said smirking in a way that Helen _knew _was aimed at her.

"He'll be along shortly," Helen said in a clipped tone, taking a seat on the couches. She ignored Will's look of disdain at the mention of Nikola, and Kate's smirk.

"I can smack him hard enough for him to not be able to invade your mind," Big Guy offered with a gruff grunt. Helen's lips twitched upwards but she refrained from smiling.

"That is quite unnecessary... for the moment," she said, assuming Henry had filled her manservant in on the details – wondering how much dramatic embellishment had been given. "But thank you for the offer nonetheless, old friend."

_**Though I will take him up on it if you continue to lurk outside the door eavesdropping, Nikola. **_She added in her mind.

Nikola entered the room seconds later with a sheepish expression which satisfied her.

_**I wasn't lurking,**_ he noted, _**I was lingering.**_

_**Oh and what, pray tell, is the difference exactly?**_

_**All those years spent at Oxford dear Helen and you still don't know?**_

_**Cheeky **_she said with an amused shake of the head. Nikola slid onto a chair closest to Helen with a smile.

"It's really weird when you guys talk in your heads," Henry said. Helen dragged her eyes away from the vampire to take in the stares of her staff.

"Yeah," Kate agreed, "You keep exchanging smirks and smiles, creepy. I do not want to know what kind of mental sparring is going on in there."

Nikola smiled a toothy grin.

_**Say **_**one **_**thing to that and I **_**will **_**shoot you.**_ Helen said firmly in her head.

"Ow," Nikola whined. "No need to be pre-emptively nasty, Helen."

Her expression softened apologetically. Apparently, she'd been a little too firm.

"Sorry," she added sheepishly, "I didn't intend to harm you." _**That time. **_She added mentally for good measure. She was rewarded with the smirk returning to his face.

_**I would gladly let you harm me in an altogether different context. **_He said.

_**Oh here we go, **_she said rolling her eyes, _**You recovered quickly I see.**_

_**Well I do have this rather lovely little minx playing about inside my head...**_

Helen visibly rolled her eyes once more and turned her attention back to her perturbed team. She couldn't help the little laugh escape her at their expressions of bewilderment, and the way in which Henry's head was turning back and forth between herself and Nikola.

"I am so not going to be able to get used to this," Henry said.

"Hopefully, you won't need to," Helen sighed.

"Helen," Nikola said mock-dramatically with a hand over his heart, "You wound me."

"Oh don't act so sullen," Helen said, "I can see into your mind, remember? I know when you're faking it."

"Touché, my dear," Nikola said.

"From what I can tell," Helen said, addressing the group as a whole once more, "The two ends of the bracelets are attached with a sort of strong pull of energy – which is why neither myself nor Nikola has so far been successful in removing the bloody things."

"You've got to admire the ingenuity of my race," Nikola said wistfully.

_**Need I remind you of a certain 'stuck-up inbred bitch'? **_Helen smirked.

_**No need to get feisty... **_Nikola said._** Unless - **_

"Don't even finish that thought," Helen cut the train of his thoughts off. He just smirked; satisfied he'd got his point across regardless.

"Everything okay, Magnus?" Will said, glaring at Nikola.

"Fine, Will," Helen said, "Nikola is just being predictably lewd."

_**You love it. **_Nikola prodded. _**Admit it. It's okay, there's just the two of us in here. I can tell anyway. You like me it's so obvious.**_

_**Nikola the sooner we figure out these bracelets, **_she sent, _**the less chance you have of being maimed, stabbed, shot or strangled in the next few hours.**_

_**Once again your kinkiness surprises even me, **_he smirked.

He was endlessly frustrating. She had a feeling this was going to be a long few days.

_**I would be very happy to oblige.**_ He added.

A very long few days; at least she hoped they'd be able to get the bracelets off as soon as that, if not sooner.

"Henry," Helen said, a little louder than necessary in an effort to clear her mind, "I would like you to work with Nikola in trying to figure out exactly how these bracelets work."

"Doc, do you think that's a good idea?" Henry said, looking over at Nikola.

"I think he's right, Magnus," Will said, "I mean he seems to have a vested interest in _not _removing the bracelets. He seems to enjoy being able to be inside your mind."

"Jealous, protégé?" Nikola smirked.

"Honestly," Helen said in exasperation, "Henry, Nikola – as much as I hate to say it – is probably the only person who _can _figure these artefacts out given his technological knowledge and his own vampiric heritage."

"Yes, listen to the boss like a good little Wolf-boy," Nikola said.

"Really, Nikola, is that necessary?" Helen scolded.

_**For me? Yes. **_He said.

_**You're incorrigible; totally and utterly incorrigible. **_She said in exasperated amusement.

_**You've known me for a hundred-plus years, Helen. I'd think you should know that about me by now.**_

_**Oh I know all about you and your impossible behaviour**_**. **She said.

**And yet, you keep me around. **He grinned victoriously.

Helen could only sigh once more as he and Henry stood to head down to the labs. Yes, she could tell that this was going to be an experience that tested even her patience.__


	4. Bedtime

**A bit of seriousness in this chapter, but it had to happen at some point. Don't worry, still Helen-Nikola mental fluff. ;) **

**Also a very happy birthday to the wonderful Amanda Tapping! I know it's not her birthday yet where she is – but where I am it is! **

\||\\

_**What are you doing? **_Nikola's voice popped into her mind for what felt like the hundredth time in the last five minutes. It possibly could have been.

She'd been quite comfortable for a few hours after their meeting, getting through the stack of paperwork on her desk, with not much pestering from Nikola. It was beginning to get quite late into the night. But, alas, she should have known that would only last for so long before he got bored and decided to harass her. She'd been quite surprised he had held out for so long, which meant he had either found something very intriguing to distract his ever-curious mind in the labs, or he was plotting something. Considering he was supposed to be working on getting the bracelets off with Henry, she sincerely hoped it was the first. Though, the young HAP had probably long gone to bed, which didn't bode well for Nikola's activities.

_**Nikola, for the fifth time I'm working.**_

There was a brief silence and Helen's pen hovered above her desk as she waited to see if it would last. When he didn't speak (or whatever their mental communication could be considered) she sighed in relief and went back to writing.

_**Still?**_

She growled in frustration as his unexpected intrusion had caused an unsightly black line to appear on her page. She wasn't going to get any work done, not with him bouncing words around her mind like a child who had consumed too much sugar. He was impossible sometimes.

_**Yes, as should you be. I still do have a Sanctuary to run, you know.**_

_**How utterly boring, Helen, we could have so much fun.**_

She refrained from commenting on how he'd been futilely trying to convince her of this since the bracelets had been stuck to them what seemed like an eternity ago, but was actually only a matter of hours.

_**Nikola,**_she tried not to sound condescending but was afraid it turned out that way anyway.

_**It's late, Helen, at least take a break.**_

She scoffed.

_**Perhaps if I hadn't been so distracted all day I could have completed my work in a more timely manner.**_ She sent bitingly. She could feel the wince, and was sure she also feel a mental impression of guilt from him.

_**Rest, Helen, the Sanctuary is not going to crumble because you catch a few hours of sleep.**_

Perhaps it was the gentleness of his tone, or the sincere concern she could feel, but she found herself acquiescing with a soft sigh.

_**You're right, I suppose.**_ She said. _**Have you made any progress on the removal of these contraptions?**_

She didn't need their mental connection to know the answer to that would be no.

_**Nikola, **_she said as she left her office and headed to her bedroom, _**just because we still have this...**_

_**Bond?**_

_**I prefer to think of it as a rather unfortunate and temporary connection.**_

_**You wound me, Helen. **_He said in mock hurt. She smirked.

_**Yes, well, just because we have this 'bond', it doesn't mean I'm going to fall into your arms like some swooning heroine. **_

_**Helen, you must be reading my mind or something because that is exactly what I was thinking.**_ He sent with a grin. Helen couldn't help but laugh out loud at that.

_**That was really terrible, Niko. **_She laughed.

She could feel his smile. Maybe this wasn't going to be so bad after all?

Helen reached her bedroom a few minutes later, wondering where Nikola was now. She then had to mentally – thought without revealing this to the vampire himself – chastise herself for letting her mind wander like that. She took enough issue normally at letting herself think so dependently, let alone now when it would be very dangerous to let him see those particular thoughts.

She changed into her nightclothes; thankful that it seemed Nikola was finally respecting her privacy enough to let her do so without invading her mind. She then slipped into bed with a contended sigh. She hadn't realised just how utterly exhausted she was until now, and was infinitely grateful to Nikola for pestering her to the point of relenting and going to bed.

_**No need to thank me, ljubavi. **_His inevitable remark came, and she had almost come to expect it now, as she rolled her eyes.

_**I didn't. **_She scoffed in an entirely un-ladylike manner.

_**Ah, but you did. **_He teased. _**I do wish you'd just relent on something else and, oh how did you put it? I think it was 'fall into my arms like swooning heroine'... come now my dear, we both know it'll happen eventually.**_

_**I do not swoon, **_She snapped with a frown, _**and it's not inevitable. How can you be so bloody cocky?**_

Helen got a flicker of some emotion that he'd accidentally let slip before he had the chance to block it, but it was too fleeting to accurately put a finger on. She frowned, sensing his insecurity, and his lack of quick response.

_**Nikola? **_She tried in concern.

_**I'm here,**_ he said softly, _**I'm always here.**_

She knew he wasn't just talking about their mental connection anymore, and she hated the way that his words _did _make her swoon slightly. Damn him. He always had to prove her wrong, didn't he?

It was sometimes easy for her to forget just how vulnerable Nikola was, he put on such a good facade of arrogance and callousness for the world. But she was one of the few people to have seen the real Nikola Tesla, and she hated herself for being so insensitive sometimes when it came to him. It was often easy just to bite back at him with harsh words and brush him off, not remembering how even the great Nikola Tesla just needed his friend sometimes.

_**I'm sorry, Nikola. **_She sent, knowing she'd confused him a bit.

_**For what? **_

_**For not having enough time – for you, for us, for our friendship – these days, **_she replied.

_**Helen, we're practically immortal, **_came his reply, _**we have all the time in the world. Just so long as there's always a place in your life for me. **_

He stopped himself from saying 'even if it's not where I want to be in your heart' to her.

Helen nodded, not remembering he actually couldn't see her despite their bed-time conversation. Helen couldn't tell whether he was just saying that to alleviate her guilt.

_**Do you know what this reminds me of? **_She said, perking up a bit at the thought.

_**I am loath to say I don't know what's going on in that pretty little head of yours – despite our telepathic bond**_. He sent wryly. She smiled at the pout that had accompanied it.

_**Back at Oxford, when we used to share a bed. **_She explained.

_**You do have such a dirty mind, Helen. **_

_**You **_**know **_**what I meant, Nikola. **_She rolled her eyes at him. _**We'd talk for hours just laying there together late into the night... everything was so simple then.**_

_**We were so wide eyed and naive, **_he commented. _**But, of course I remember, my dear. How could I forget? I got to sleep beside the most beautiful and amazing woman I had ever met. It was like a dream.**_

She blushed, sure he hadn't intended to send her the comment like that, as she could feel awkwardness radiating off him.

_**Nikola?**_

_**Yes? **_He responded warily, unsure whether she was going to call him on his last comment.

There was a long pause, and he wondered if she had actually fallen asleep.

_**Sleep beside me again tonight like we used to? **_

She could feel Nikola's hesitation, and a vulnerable part of her reared itself.

He paused, not sure whether he should. Now, just like before, he would get to lay beside her and yet not be able to hold her or touch her like he yearned to. It was torture to be so close and yet to still have her just out of reach. But could he really deny Helen or his own eager heart – begging for even the slightest closeness to her – this?

_**Of course, my dear,**_ he sent.

She smiled and practised tracking his physical position as he made his way to her bedroom. The door opened a few minutes later to reveal Nikola. He paused in the doorway, as if she would suddenly pull a gun on him (not for the first time), and tell him to get out. She sent a gentle mental prod to him, and he grinned, crossing the distance to her bed in a few eager strides.

She watched in fascination – a little more than she should have – as he removed his shoes and vest, and laid the clothing item with fastidious care on a chair.

He stood beside her bed, that hesitation creeping back into his face, and she felt her heart pang. Had she really been so icy to him of late that he would _still _question whether he could get onto the bed despite her invitation?

_**Nikola, **_she sensed a little humour was needed to lighten the mood, _**get on the damn bed before I drag you down here myself.**_

_**You always were insufferably bossy. **_He grinned, crawling onto the bed beside her.

She rolled to her side to face him, propped up on an elbow, and he mirrored her position.

Maybe, just maybe, this telepathic connection wouldn't be so bad after all.

Yes, it felt good to reconnect, even if it had taken a literal telepathic bond to do so.


	5. Good Morning

**You guys are just too awesome! Thank you to everyone who's been reviewing, you rock. In fact, because you're so awesome I feel the need to continually give you Tesla shaped cookies – and my virtual oven is on overdrive! ;) **

**So, instead, there's a bit of a reward in this chapter. :) **

|\\|\

Helen awoke to what was quite possibly the most bizarre sensation she had ever felt, and she had experienced some pretty whacky things in the last one-hundred and fifty nine years.

Nikola was gently nudging at her mind – the only experience she could equate it to in physical terms would be nuzzling. He had felt the moment she woke from her slumber, he was in her mind after all, and retracted cautiously. Helen's eyes opened and she found herself staring at said vampire's chest. At what point in the night had they ended up completely entangled with each other?

Her head was resting on his chest, and she found herself soothed by the gentle rise and fall as he breathed. His arms were wrapped around her waist holding her securely to him, as if he feared she might scurry away at first chance. She didn't blame him. The way she'd been acting around him of late indicated that was exactly what she would do. Her heart panged at the thought. Had she really become so cold in pushing him away?

She snuggled closer to his body silently letting him know she wasn't going anywhere. She felt his smile – though she wasn't sure whether mentally or otherwise – and smiled herself.

_**Good morning. **_He sent to her.

_**Good morning to you too, **_she replied. She was so comfortable in his arms. She didn't want him to let her go. _**What was it you were doing just then? I must say, it is the oddest way I have ever been woken up.**_

He chuckled. This time she felt it physically with her body pressed so closely to his.

_**I wondered what would happen, **_he shrugged.

A thought occurred to her and she tensed.

_**You...you weren't able to see my dreams were you? **_She asked somewhat hesitantly.

She really wasn't sure whether they were capable of that, even with their telepathic link, but she was scared he had been able to. She had been having a rather lovely dream about him and desperately hoped he hadn't seen it. She did not need to give Nikola that kind of ammunition, especially not after they had just woken up in each other's arms.

When he didn't reply immediately, she tilted her head to look up at his face. He was grinning widely and she feared he _may _actually have seen her dreams.

_**Alas, despite my best efforts, I could not enter whatever sordid little fantasies your subconscious mind was playing out about me.**_ He said. She smacked him playfully with her hand on the chest.

_**I was not acting out 'sordid little fantasies' about you**_. She responded. Nikola was still grinning and she hated that she was blushing now.

_**Oh, my dear, **_he sent, _**judging by your very...strong...reaction I'd say you were. **_

Helen buried her head in his chest once more to futilely attempt to hide the blush that had spread over her cheeks.

_**It's nothing to be ashamed of, Helen. **_Nikola continued. He was getting way too much enjoyment out of this. _**I myself was having the loveliest dream about you, me and the wine cellar. Of course, you weren't wearing any clothes and I – **_

His mental recollection of his dream/fantasy was cut off when she pressed her lips to his in an abrupt move. She'd barely registered she was doing it until she felt him kiss back, his hold tightening around her waist. She hadn't even thought it through. She'd been so mortified at having actually been caught having a dream about him, and getting so flustered at his words, she'd done the only thing she could think up at that moment to get him to desist his talking.

She was silently quite proud of herself that her kissing him was enough to get his thoughts to stop. She'd rendered him mentally speechless.

Truth be told, it hadn't just been to get him to stop mentally talking. She couldn't resist. Not that she would admit that even to herself.

Nikola had rolled them over so that he was lying on top of her and she moaned into his mouth.

Oh God, when had kissing Nikola Tesla become so good?

She'd kissed him before, many times really, during their time at Oxford. Of course, most of those were quite innocent, and the ones that weren't were either passed off as the result of too much alcohol or as 'friendly' kisses. She had never kissed any of her other friends the way she had kissed Nikola Tesla, but it was far easier back then for them to pretend than to admit to anything deeper going on.

She was finding it quite hard, however, at the present time to form coherent thoughts. One of his hands had come to rest on the exposed skin of her waist where her top had ridden up at some point, and the contact together with the fact they were kissing was rendering her quite intoxicated.

_**Oh good God he tastes good. **_She thought.

_**Thank you. **_She gasped into his mouth when she heard his mental-voice in her mind. _**You are every bit as delicious as I remember yourself**_**. **

She couldn't even bring herself to care about her mental admission as she ran her fingers through his soft short hair.

But, of course, the real world beckoned, breaking them from their own little world, as it had done so often in the past. It reminded them of reality, and reminded Helen that she probably shouldn't have been kissing him. Today's particular reminder was a knock at her bedroom door.

"Doc," Henry said through the wood door.

Helen let out a groan of frustration as she broke the kiss. She could feel Nikola's annoyance at the interruption too.

"_Doc_," Henry repeated, knocking again at the door.

"What is it, Henry?" she called out to the young Werewolf. Nikola rolled off of her and she instantly missed the contact between them.

"Will's got something," Henry responded, "He wants to talk to you and the Vamp – are you okay? You never sleep in this late, it's almost nine."

"I'm fine," she called back, surprised herself at the time.

"I'll go find Tesla then," Henry said.

"No!" she called back, a little too quickly, "It's alright, Henry. I'll find him."

Helen pushed herself to a sitting position and gazed over at the vampire lounging with a smirk in her bed.

_**Don't look so cocky. **_She sent, _**I may still find the need to kill you before the day is out. **_

_**But I taste good, remember? **_Nikola sent with a significant mental-smirk to match the physical one he was wearing.

_**You, Nikola Tesla, **_she sent with exasperation, _**are utterly incorrigible.**_

He laughed and she shook her head as she got out of the bed.

_**Need I remind you, my dearest Helen, who initiated that kiss? **_He sent as she foraged in her wardrobe to find an outfit for the day.

He remained on her bed watching with that grin, and she refused to look at him. He was right. Why did he always have to be so right?

_**I didn't exactly hear any complaints issued from you either**_. Helen sent, meekly.

It was a weak argument, but she didn't want to admit to how much she'd enjoyed kissing him...or how much she was thinking about doing it again.

_**I'm right here, Helen. **_Nikola was positively radiant in his expression now. He opened his arms to accompany the mental comment. _**You don't have to simply think about kissing me. I'm quite receptive to a repeat of our previous activities.**_

_**I'm sure you are, **_she sent. _**However, you need to return to your own room and change into some fresh clothes. Will has something for us to see. **_

_**Have I ever mentioned how much I hate the children? **_He sent with a pout.

_**I believe you have mentioned it on many occasions, yes, **_Helen sent with a smirk.

She walked briskly to the bathroom to change. The sight of Nikola lounging so comfortably on her bed was not good when she was trying to block her thoughts from him.

She couldn't believe how he'd managed to make her – _Helen Magnus _– act, and fell, like a silly school girl with a crush.

\||\\

It didn't take Helen long to get ready for the day, with minimal interruptions from Nikola, who was too preoccupied with briskly changing himself to pester her. He did make sure she could feel his perpetual smirk though. She could tell there was the promise of much teasing throughout the day.

She went to her office next, where Will was seated with Kate and Henry on the couches. He had a book in his lap and several others were laid out on the coffee table. She felt a pang of guilt that he'd been up and working all morning and she'd been in bed with Nikola.

_**The amount of work you do in one day puts the amount of work protégé does in one week to shame, **_Nikola said in her mind, _**and I hardly think being in bed with me can be considered a waste of time anyway.**_ He added.

"Hey, Doc," Henry said, noticing them.

"Magnus," Will said.

"Good morning, everyone," Helen said, smoothly, walking around the couches to sit with her team – and put more distance between herself and Nikola. His closeness was doing hazardous things to her. The glimmer in his eyes let her know that he knew that too, and that he didn't need the telepathic bond to know it either.

_**It's not too late to decide that spending the remainder of the morning in bed together would be a valuable way to spend time, **_Nikola tried hopefully.

She smirked at him as he sat with a dramatic flounce in a chair.

_**I hardly think so, Nikola. **_She said, then deciding to torture him a little bit, added in a purr, _**No matter how enjoyable that sounds. **_

He perked up in surprised in his seat and she had to restrain herself from laughing out loud. If he could distract her while she was with her team, then she could at least return the favour.

"Henry said you have something, Will," Helen said, turning her attention to the young man, "What is it you found?"

"It's a good thing you're sitting down for this one, Doc," Kate said, "'Cos this may be a bit of a shock."

"A bit of a shock?" Henry said, and Helen noted he was looking quite nervous. "I think it's a _huge _shock, of epic life altering proportions."

"Will someone please inform us as to the nature of this 'shock', epic proportions aside," Helen cut in.

"Right," Will said. Her protégé was looking a bit sullen. "Well I was getting started on some research, and looking at the markings on the pillars we found the bracelets on." He held up one of the photos they'd taken as if to emphasize his point. "From what I managed to translate it uh..."

"Spit it out already, Will," Kate said. She was eager to see the Doc and Vlad react to this.

"It appears as though the bracelets were part of an ancient vampiric ceremony," Will said very quickly.

Helen was growing tired of this drawn out explanation.

"Leave the flourishes and embellishments to the experts, Huggybear," Nikola said with a sigh. It seemed he too was growing tired of this. "Just spit it out like a good little protégé."

"It was to do with a marriage ceremony," Will said, "You and Tesla are married."

"Till death do you part," Kate smirked.


	6. Tradition

**Don't worry, no huge cliff-hanger at the end of this one...sort of. :P**

**This is so much fun to write – Helen and Nikola mental-teasing is just too fun! Helen get's a bit sassy in this chappie too. ;) **

\||\\

"Aha, no," Helen said, uneasily. She tried futilely to convince herself that this was just a joke Will and the others had concocted to play on her and Nikola. Retaliation for being exposed to their childish bickering of late, perhaps? But the expressions on their faces indicated anything but this explanation.

"Sorry, Doc," Henry said, "But you and the Vamp are married."

"This must be some sort of mistake," Helen said. But Will didn't have that barely contained expression of smug glee he adopted when enacting a practical joke. He looked rather sullen, actually. She knew he'd never been too fond of Nikola. "Will, are you sure you haven't mis-translated those symbols?"

"We should trust the protégé on this one, Helen," Nikola said with an insufferably wide grin.

"That's a rather uncharacteristic turn around for you," she said. But she couldn't help but smile at his rather endearing eagerness.

"Scientific discovery is scientific discovery, my dear," Nikola said with a wink, "Regardless of the source – and _this _particular discovery is of great interest to me."

"Sorry, Magnus," Will said, shaking his head and breaking the playful moment between the pair, "You know how much _I _would be opposed to this -,"

"Hey," Nikola interrupted, "You're speaking to your boss's husband here, Huggybear, show some manners."

"Anyway," Will said, briefly pausing to shoot at glare at Nikola, "See these markings on the pillars?" He pointed to them in a photo. Helen and Nikola both looked on curiously. Helen nodded.

"The vampire equivalent of bride and groom," Nikola translated, with a grin. _**You do make a lovely bride, Helen. But I think 'wife' has a rather nice ring to it, don't you agree?**_

She was seriously considering testing out her mind-slap theory about now.

She was seething a bit, to be honest. She was inexplicably angry. It wasn't because of this apparent marriage either, which baffled her. What she was most annoyed at – and what she was desperately trying to otherwise convince herself of – was the way in which they'd been supposedly married. A small voice in the back of her mind – which wasn't Nikola, surprisingly – kept nagging at her. She tried to ignore the little whining voice that fretted she'd missed all the proper preludes to marriage with Nikola. She didn't even want to address the underlying meanings to that. It was too terrifying a thought, one that would inevitably lead to somewhere she wasn't sure she was ready to go.

"Bloody infuriating man," she muttered, shaking her head at him. She wasn't sure whether was referring to his comment, or her own thoughts, but either way he grinned.

_**But you love it. **_He sent. _**You did marry me, after all.**_

_**Purely by accident! **_Helen reminded him in exasperation.

_**Helen, my darling, **_he sent, _**you didn't have to jump through all of these hoops to get me to marry you – you could have just asked. If I'd known you were so keen – **_

Helen groaned and buried her head in her hands in frustration. Henry, Will and Kate shared looks of bemused amusement tinged with confusion. They're been growing more used to the silent communication between their boss and Tesla, but it was still weird when they'd go silent but continue to exchange looks. Or when Magnus then reacted like she had just done, where Tesla had evidently said something lewd or obnoxious.

"Hey, newlyweds, are you finished?" Kate said. Helen noted that her young employee was far too amused by this situation.

Kate's comment only made Nikola's grin widen.

"Yes, the female one has a point, moja supruga. Just because mommy and daddy have decided to act on their feelings for one another doesn't mean we should neglect the children," Nikola commented with his insufferable grin. Helen tried to ignore the brief flutter of her heart when he said those words in his native tongue. Why was her body being so bloody traitorous?

_**I do believe we've rendered poor Will and Henry quite uncomfortable, **_Helen sent, _**though Kate appears to be garnering far too much enjoyment from this. I could say the same of you. **_

"But are we sure this means that Nikola and I are married?" Helen said, thoughtfully. "We'll need to do some further research on the matter."

_**You just want to make sure we're married, don't you? You can't bear the thought of being parted after thinking we shared such a wondrous union... **_Nikola sent.

_**Nikola, I think you're confusing your thoughts for mine, **_she smirked.

_**What's mine is yours, darling,**_ he sent. She bit her lip to stop from laughing, but couldn't hide the smile.

_**Are you quite done with the wife quips? **_She sent, as much to sober herself up as him.

_**Never. **_He sent. _**My darling wife, angel of my heart, apple of my eye... **_

_**I could always employ my earlier method for rendering you speechless, **_Helen threatened with a gleam in her eyes. It took Nikola a few seconds to realise what she meant, and his grin – if possible – grew larger.

_**In front of the children? **_He sent, _**why Helen Magnus, you are a kinky one aren't you? **_

_**Well, we did just discover we are very likely bound in matrimony, **_Helen sent innocently, _**is it not tradition to share a kiss in front of witnesses upon such unions? **_

_**I do believe you are right, as usual, my dear, **_Nikola replied. She could feel his eagerness.

Helen smiled seductively at him. She was sorely tempted to kiss him, and not just to shut him up.

_**We wouldn't want to defy tradition, would we? **_Helen reasoned. She had always been very respectful of cultural traditions, so she really ought to follow this one.

_**No, we most definitely would not,**_ he agreed.

_**Perhaps once we've confirmed Will's assertion we could fulfil said tradition? **_She suggested. Nikola nodded in anticipation of the promised kiss.

"Will, you and I shall continue to conduct research to either prove to disprove your notion. Henry and Nikola will continue their work in attempting to remove the bracelets," Helen said, turning to her uneasy protégé.

It was only then that Nikola realised how Helen had manipulated him into being quiet. She was good.

"Is that proposal to your liking, Nikola?" she asked, turning to him.

Nikola's lips twitched upwards at her choice of wording, and the sly little glance she offered him indicated she'd done it on purpose. She was in a playful mood, and he loved it. He knew that she wasn't just talking about her verbal statement, but the promised kiss and that excited him. Helen was playing a game that Nikola was determined to win.

"Right," Will coughed, looking between his boss and Tesla.

"Oh, it is very much to my liking, my darling wife," Nikola said, "I do like the fervent desire you are displaying to prove the validity of our union."

"Or disprove," Will pointed out.

"Yes, Will has a valid point," Helen said, teasingly, "As scientists we should remain objective, Nikola."

"You guys are ridiculous," Kate butted in, chuckling, "You act like enough of an old married couple regardless of whether or not those bracelets did hitch you."

"Don't force my hand in assigning you clean up duty in the messier abnormal cells this week, Kate," Helen warned with a smirk.

_**Have I mentioned that one is my favourite? **_Nikola sent.

_**You're not supposed to have favourite children, Nikola, **_Helen replied.

He scoffed in his mind. She didn't know if she would ever be able to get used to that for however long they were connected by the bracelets.

_**You know, the sooner you let me get to work, **_she sent, _**the sooner we find out if we're married... and if certain traditions are necessary. **_

Nikola perked up at this and Helen chuckled.

"Tiny Tim," Nikola barked at Henry, standing up, "Stop sitting around like a lost puppy, we have work to do."Helen smirked.

"I'm off to do inventory of the armoury," Kate said, standing herself. She walked to the door, before turning back, "Oh, and boss, congratulations." She grinned as she left.

Henry followed Nikola out of Helen's office with a look of bemusement. Since when did Tesla offer to help voluntarily? Nikola shot Helen a grin as he left, to which she smirked mentally.

_**Good, **_she sent, _**we've only been married for a short period of time and I already have you trained to do my bidding. **_

_**You teasing harlot from Camden, **_he sent in a teasing tone.

_**Only for you, Niko, only for you, **_she sent, enjoying his mental shock.


	7. Private Emotion

**Once again my lovely Teslenites, thank you so much for your reviews! They really do make my day. : )**

\||\\

_**You look hot when you sit like that. **_

Helen looked up from where she was seated in the library, Will appearing to be the only other soul present. Books were strewn out covering the surface of the desk entirely, Magnus and her young protege searching for any indication of the vampiric ceremony. Currently, they were looking for matrimonial ceremonies in other cultures spanning time and the globe that appeared similar in any way to hers and Nikola's wedding. She really had to stop referring to it like that.

_**You can't even see me. **_She sent in return, hopefully. The idea of Nikola lurking in the darkness somewhere close by was both unsettling and oddly comforting.

_**Can't I? **_He sent. _**I can see into your mind, my dear wife. **_

_**Cheeky. **_She replied, _**but how do you know if I am even sitting in order to label such a position as attractive?**_

_**Oh, please, **_he sent with another of his now-frequent mental scoffs. She was growing steadily used to them. She was going to miss them when they were separated. She silently chastised herself for allowing such thoughts. _**You're no doubt perched delectably on one of your library chairs, chest pressed to the edge of the desk as you lean over, giving whatever fortunate creature opposite you ample view of that sumptuous cleavage. **_

She suddenly wished he were close enough so as to kiss him into silence. Kissing him was become an increasingly frequent thought in her mind, and it really should have concerned her more than it did.

Helen couldn't help but blush at his mental statement, however, and looked down at her position. Damn, the cheeky monkey was right. How did he know that? She instantly shifted a little, sparing a glance at her protege across the table. He was immersed in whatever text he was reading from, but from his vantage point, he would be able to have a very good view. This only caused her to blush more. She just had to trust that her protege had a less lewd mind than her pesky vampire.

The mental image of said vampire leering at her from across the table however caused a surge of arousal to course through her. Her mind flashed back to earlier that morning, and how his lips had felt against hers.

_**You're flustered,**_ Nikola noted in a drawl.

"Magnus?" Will said.

Helen jumped, a little startled. She'd been so wrapped up in Nikola and her – their – thoughts that she hadn't noticed Will's attention on her. She could only imagine what she looked like, cheeks flushed, chest heaving ever so slightly. She coughed softly.

"Yes, Will?" she responded smoothly. She'd had a good century to perfect the art of appearing calm, and maintaining a mask to her emotions. Nikola deliberately provoking images of their tryst this morning in her own mind was proving a new challenge though.

Will opened his mouth as if to say something before promptly closing it, only to open it once more. He was watching her with narrowed, inquisitive eyes, surveying her with his analytical mind.

"Is it Tesla again?" he finally said.

_**Helen? **_Nikola's statement was curious. He was prodding her mentally to respond, like had had done the previous day when she'd tried – in vain – to block him out. His persistence truly was remarkable.

_**I'm talking to Will, **_she sent. She was sure he could sense the uneasiness in her mental-tone. She herself wasn't so sure why it was there either, or what had her so flustered. Perhaps it was being caught by Will in the midst of thinking about the kiss she and Nikola had shared, or him witnessing her physical reaction to their mental flirting.

_**Tell Huggybear to take a number, I'm trying to talk to my wife, **_Nikola sent.

"Nikola is... Nikola," Helen responded to Will. "He's inevitably finding much enjoyment from our telepathic link."

"Shouldn't he working with Henry on, oh I don't know, how to remove those bracelets?" Will said, in a slightly venomous tone. Helen was momentarily taken aback.

"I hardly think that sort of tone is called for, Dr Zimmerman," she responded bitingly. Will looked guilty for a moment.

_**Nikola, I'm trying to identify the ceremony of our wedding and all you're doing is distracting me, **_Helen sent, frustrated.

She could feel Nikola's happiness radiating within her like a warmth physically spreading through her body.

_**Did you find one of my better vintages? **_She queried, curious.

_**Our wedding, **_Nikola sent.

Helen instantly realised what she'd said, and why he was so happy all of a sudden.

She could feel Nikola grinning like a small child on Christmas morning. It was so endearing, and so genuine, it made her heart flutter. He was truly exuberantly _joyous _at her comment. It was genuine joy. It filled her both with guilt, and happiness. How could she be so blind? She wondered how she'd never noticed before, but Nikola was always so damned flippant. But, now, with a link to his mind, she could _feel _his unguarded emotions and it was overwhelming.

"Where are you going?" Will said, as she stood abruptly.

"I need... to clear my head," she responded, before turning on her heel without further explanation and stalking out of the library. Her heels clacking against the expanse of wood floor the only sound resonating in the large room as she left.

\||\\

Helen stood leaning against the door-frame of Henry's lab. Her arms crossed over her chest, she watched in amusement as the young man she had come to think of as a son and her – she would _not _refer to him as husband, metal or otherwise – dear friend bickered.

She wasn't surprised to find Nikola actually working, though he was lacking in his usual unrelenting drive. He enjoyed their telepathic bond, but he wasn't cruel enough to sabotage their work, or not comply to her wishes at all. He was, under his bravado and callous facade, a gentleman.

Something within Helen couldn't help but feel slightly disappointed, which _did _surprise her. The thought of Nikola no longer being in her mind inexplicably saddened her.

It reminded her so much of the closeness they had shared at Oxford, when they'd been so young and so hopeful. She hadn't realised just how much she had missed that, the closeness she'd had with Nikola, until this reminder was dangled in front of her. Her heart ached at the thought of the bracelets being removed, and things simply going back to the way they were.

Though the slight complication of marriage would quite possibly tip the balance...

"No, no, no, Wolf-boy!" Nikola chastised Henry, "Have you learnt nothing in watching master such as myself work these past years?" He let out a dramatic sigh, so typical of Nikola.

_**Nikola, don't torture the poor boy, **_Helen sent.

The expression of shock on Nikola's face was priceless. His eyes widened for a second, as though he thought she'd somehow managed to monitor and scold him from across the Sanctuary. He regained his composure quickly upon seeing her standing in the doorway, smirk on face.

_**But I do it so well, **_he smirked right back.

"Doc, hey! Didn't see you there," Henry said.

"Hello, Henry," Helen smiled.

_**What are you doing down here, Helen? **_Nikola sent curiously, _**it's not like you to voluntarily extract yourself from your work. **_

She realised his curiousness was more out of concern. He'd sensed her pensiveness as she had watched him work, and perhaps her twinge of sadness too.

_**Telling Henry to 'take a number' as you so eloquently stated, **_Helen grinned, _**I want to talk to my husband. **_

"Henry, as much as I am loathe to drag Nikola away from productive work on the rare occurrence he actually engages in it," Helen said, "Would you be alright on without his – what I'm sure is undoubtedly invaluable input," she said with a smirk and sarcasm, "for a while?"

"Sure, Doc, take him," Henry actually looked relieved.

"No matter how you try to hide it," Nikola smirked, "You know you'll miss me, Tiny Tim."

"Yeah, sure," Henry scoffed under his breath as Nikola crossed the room to where Helen stood.

He was grinning from ear to ear as they exited the lab.

_**My, my Helen, couldn't wait to have your wicked way with – **_

Nikola's mental comment was cut short for the second time that day with the same method. He really didn't mind though, she could shut him up doing that any day.

Nikola's arms instinctively wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer, she pressed her lips to his. Her arms snaked up around his neck, one hand finding his hair.

Helen had him backed up almost against the wall.

_**Well, it's painfully clear who wears the pants in this marriage, **_Nikola commented.

_**It would serve you well to remember such a prevalent fact,**_ Helen sent back, rather distracted by the way his hands had drifted under the bottom of her shirt. _**Or I won't let you back in my bed. **_

Nikola merely sent her a mental-smirk. She realised what little weight such a comment held when she'd practically pounced on him the minute she had him alone.

_**Does this count as our traditional wedding kiss, then? **_Nikola said.

_**Niko, would you kindly desist in your talking? **_She sent, pressing herself further against him and eliciting a groan from the vampire.

They broke apart only when air became absolutely necessary. Nikola had always suspected it was overrated, and was no less irritated by his reliance on the element now.

"Helen?" he said aloud, breathily.

"Mmm?" she responded, just enjoying being held in his arms.

"Why...why the sudden need to kiss me?" he asked. He was nervous, she could feel it, scared even. Was he scared that she was only toying with him? That she would play with his heart only to break it?

She couldn't believe how blind she'd been, how she had not seen it before.

"I felt your happiness," she replied, softly.

Their eyes met as she tried to convey what she meant. She could feel the strength of emotions rippling through his body as they washed over her.

She felt dizzy; it was too strong. There were too many emotions, too many strong feelings... she was so confused, disoriented. She felt like her heart might burst, she needed to lie down, she needed fresh air. She needed her head to be clear.

"Bloody hell," she muttered, before promptly falling unconscious; her body held up in Nikola's strong arms.

\||\|

**I just realised that the last chappie I posted in my other story also involves Helen falling unconscious. That was totally not deliberate...! **


	8. Tea In Bed

**A bit of fluff, now. : ) Oh, and slightly domestic Nikola. **

\||\|

_**Helen... Helen... Helen. **_

Helen wanted to swat whoever was gently whispering her name, or better yet stun them, with a particularly potent stunner just for rousing her from her pleasant slumber.

It was only a few moments later she realised the voice was in her head. Thankfully, she recalled that she was currently telepathically linked (and quite possibly married) to a certain vampire, or she may have thought herself losing her mind. Not for the first time.

_**You can't keep pretending to be unconscious, ljubav, I can tell that your mind is once again awake. **_

She couldn't really find the grounds to argue with that logic. Besides, if she did begin to argue with him it would be even more obvious that she was indeed awake, so it would be futile anyway.

Helen decided to acknowledge him in a much more pleasant manner, one which she knew he would enjoy immeasurably. She had when he had utilised the method, so she was only returning the favour.

She felt his brief mental shock and then happiness when she tried to replicate that bizarre mind-nuzzling he'd been experimenting with earlier. The mental chuckle she felt through their connection made a warmth run through her body.

Helen opened her eyes to find herself not in the infirmary as she had expected, she was pretty sure she had passed out, but in her own bedroom. No wonder the pillows had felt so luxuriously soft, definitely not the standard issue infirmary bedding. She was alone in the room, but she could sense Nikola somewhere not too far away. She sat up; glad to see she was still wearing the same clothes from before.

_**What happened?**_ She sent to him.

_**You collapsed, **_he responded, _**At the most inopportune moment too, my dear. You were practically throwing yourself at me and then suddenly you faint. I know I'm a good kisser, Helen, but really – isn't that giving 'weak to the knees' a whole new meaning?**_

Good to see his incorrigibility hadn't diminished.

_**You're not that good, Nikola! **_She scoffed.

_**Darling, I can read your mind, **_he replied, smoothly, _**I **_**know **_**how much you like kissing me. **_

If only he were close by, she could stop those pesky words by trying to kiss him senseless once more. Once again, it would only serve to prove his point, and yet she couldn't really find it in herself to care.

_**How long was I out for? **_She asked.

_**About an hour, **_he said, mentally shrugging. It was another of those odd shared sensations.

_**An hour! **_She said. She had to return to working, find Will...

_**Relax, Helen, **_Nikola soothed, obviously having sensed her brief mental panic, _**I wouldn't want you to collapse again. At least not until I'm nearby so you can fall into my arms...**_

_**Nikola, **_she almost growled. She felt him groan at that, and smirked triumphantly.

_**I told the underlings that mommy was taking a much needed break, **_he said, with a dramatic mental sigh. _**That she needed some alone time with their new daddy and – **_

She mentally prodded him in annoyance.

_**Ow, Helen, words can hurt – but so can mental acts of violence! **_He whined. She smiled. She'd finally found another effective way to shut him up, one that didn't inevitably involve her ending up with swollen lips.

_**Suck it up, Niko, **_she retorted.

He was sulking, she could feel it.

_**You're a violent, cruel woman, Helen Magnus, **_he said, just as he physically pushed the door to her bedroom open.

He was carrying a tray which held a tea-pot and two mugs on it. Her heart sped up just a little at seeing Nikola looking so...domestic.

_**I am **_**not **_**domestic, **_he said, sharply. She laughed.

"Nikola, you're bringing me tea in bed," she pointed out, out loud. She couldn't help but feel weird speaking out loud after their extended mental communications of late. They'd only really spoken out loud to great lengths when others had been around.

He seemed to notice the shift too, and she could feel his hesitation. It reminded her of the vulnerability she had seen in him. He saw her transition to verbal communication as a sort of distancing mechanism perhaps. She would remedy that.

Sending out another mental nudge, but this time softer, more delicate, to make him look at her, she patted the spot on the bed next to her. He grinned widely and clamoured over to her, placing the tray on the bedside table.

He poured the tea into the two cups and handed her one, taking the other for himself. It was only once she had the mug of steaming tea in her hand did she realise that he too was drinking tea. He must have noticed her incredulous expression, or perhaps felt it, because he just smiled and shrugged.

_**Solidarity, **_he offered as only means of explanation.

_**My old friend found a way to lock you out of the wine cellar again, didn't he? **_She said.

_**How that walking carpet managed to lock me, Nikola Tesla, out I will never understand! **_he exclaimed, in mock irritation.

_**I told you I would find away to make good on my threat to rescind your wine privileges if you did not behave, **_she said.

He only muttered in annoyance. He took a sip of tea, frowning at the cup as though it were the source of his current state of irritation, and proceeded to mutter some more. This time it was something about the British and their 'swill'.

Helen was feeling a lot better now, but she was still puzzled by her earlier collapse. She could recall feeling overwhelmed by the rush and power of the emotions washing over her. Though she could distinguish between emotions – whether they were her own or Nikola's – the sheer force with which his had struck her had been akin to a physical blow. Still, she had never been the kind of woman who swooned so easily into a man's arms.

_**You think too hard, **_he commented, while still peering curiously into his cup. He didn't understand what Helen loved so much about the stuff. _**I can feel you always thinking. It is quite remarkable, actually. I always knew you had an attractive mind, but now I can see it firsthand.**_

_**You amaze me sometimes, Nikola, **_she replied, _**you manage to make even that sound lewd.**_

_**I am a man of many talents, my dear, **_he winked, _**would you care for a demonstration?**_

_**Nikola, I want to ask you a question, and I need you to answer honestly, **_she said, more seriously.

_**My darling, you insult my honour by the mere suggestion I would not answer in honesty! **_He said, dramatically, and she rolled her eyes.

_**Before I... collapsed, **_she said.

_**Fell into my waiting arms, **_he corrected, prompting a second eye roll from Helen.

_**Before I collapsed, **_she continued, _**I could feel your happiness. It was almost... intoxicating. **_

_**Good to know I have that effect on you, **_he said.

_**Oh, yes, **_she said sarcastically, _**I just was so intoxicated by your presence that I couldn't contain myself and fell right into your waiting arms. **_

_**See, that wasn't so hard now was it? **_He grinned.

She reached out to smack him on the arm while simultaneously mentally smacking him. He rubbed his arm.

_**Well that was an odd experience, **_he said, _**I can only imagine the potential this would have for certain other activities.**_ He raised his eyebrows suggestively.

She moved closer to him, placing her cup on the table on her side of the bed. She leaned in close, so that their faces were almost touching. She could feel his anticipation.

_**In your dreams, Nikola. **_She purred.

He groaned in frustration as she slipped out of his grasp away from him and off the bed, with a seductive little smirk on her face.

_**Minx. **_He said.

_**I already have you the kiss I promised, **_she teased, _**Besides, I don't know what effect it will have on me. You wouldn't want me to collapse into your arms every time we kiss, would you?**_

She slipped her shoes on and headed to the door. She smirked when she saw Nikola's eyes widen.

_**Wait...what do you mean 'every time we kiss'? **_he said, eagerly rushing after her.


	9. A Game

**Man, I am so sorry it's been so long since I last updated this... but real life got in the way (sigh). As always you guys are amazing with the reviews and they honestly make me smile like an idiot, so thank you so much. I'll try to get an update up quicker next time. :) **

**Oh yes, and SANCTUARY IS COMING BACK SO SOON (as if any of you wouldn't have realised)! I THINK I'M GOING TO DIE FROM EXCITEMENT. BRING ON THE SQUEEEEE. **

|\\|\

"Ah, Magnus, just the person I was looking for," Will said, crossing paths with her and her sulking vampire in the corridor.

_**I told you I would be needed, Nikola, **_Helen sent, accompanying the statement with a pointed look in his direction.

_**I never said you weren't needed. **_He sent softly. He didn't make eye contact with her and this made her curious. He was being shy, which was unlike him. Well it wasn't so completely unlike him. It actually reminded her a lot of Oxford, once again.

Helen had no idea how to respond to that so she offered a small smile and what she had honed down to a brief mental-nuzzle. She turned to Will, not trusting herself to see how Nikola reacted. His sincerity would be too much for her heart – and her mind – to take. She couldn't let herself believe in his genuine affection, she just couldn't. Because that would then mean she had to face her own feelings...

"Really, Expendable, you should just try and locate dear Helen here with your mind, it makes things so much easier," Nikola paused and grinned, "Oh wait I'm sorry, you can't. Only I can do that. Why? Because I am her husband."

"Alright, that's not true, it's because you both were foolish enough to put unknown vampire technology on your wrists," Will said.

"Not that big of a risk for an immortal," Nikola shrugged. "Am I sensing a modicum of jealousy wafting over from you, protege? I bet you wish you'd put the bracelet on now..."

"Really, enough," Helen said. This was getting too reminiscent of her breaking up petty fights between Nikola and John, and Nikola and James...and Nikola and Nigel. Who was she kidding? Nikola and anyone really. Particularly anyone male, and who dared remain in her vicinity for extended periods of time. She was beginning to see a pattern.

_**Give me an hour alone with you, ljubav, and those are words you'll never want to say again, **_Nikola said. She was beginning to suspect it was reflex for him to make such remarks whenever she said something.

"What is it Will?" Helen said, pointedly ignoring Nikola for the moment. That was becoming quite a difficult task in itself seeing as the vampire had decided to test his prowess at mental poking.

_**Nikola, don't make me shoot you again, **_Helen sent absently.

"That's just it," Will said with a tired sigh, "I can't find anything. There's not exactly an abundance of books available about vampire marriages."

"No, there wouldn't be," Helen agreed, offering her employee a soft smile for his efforts. "We have rather been neglecting many of our duties however, which is my fault. We'll have a staff meeting in an hour. Please inform the others, Will."

Will nodded, then eyed Nikola suspiciously.

"What about him?" he said.

"What about Nikola?" Helen said.

"Are you just going to stay...stuck together?" Will said.

"For the time being there seems to be nothing else we can do," Helen shrugged.

"Hey, I resent being spoken about like that," Nikola said. "Like I'm some child."

"Nikola, need I remind you that you've spent the last five minutes determinedly poking me with your mind?" Helen said with a raised brow and an amused expression.

Nikola muttered a curse in Serbian and her eyebrow stayed staunchly arched.

"Right..." Will said, not quite sure what to make of that, "I'll go find the others then..."

"Yes, you do that," Nikola said. Will turned with one last look and walked off. Helen shook her head at Nikola, not quite sure herself whether she was supposed to be annoyed or amused. She was finding it hard not to be solely the latter.

"It seems your little errand boy is put out by our mental communications, my dear Helen," Nikola said, "Not surprising that he can't fathom such a high level of connection between two beings much more advanced than himself..."

"Why must you be so dreadful to him?" Helen said.

Nikola gave her a look as if to stay 'you're really asking _me _that?' He then grinned.

"But Huggybear's discomfort does give me an idea..." he said.

"I don't like where that grin is going," Helen said warily. She'd known Nikola far too long to be comfortable when he got like this.

"A little game," Nikola proposed, "I bet that you flinch first in your little staff meeting – if you can consider that riff-raff staff – and put up a mental block."

"As all bets require a wager, what terms do you suggest?" Helen said. Nikola was momentarily shocked at her willingness to participate in his proposed game.

"Why Helen, you do surprise me," he said.

"I have to keep you on your toes don't I?" she smirked. "You, on the other hand, I think I can take a good guess at what prize you wish to claim should you emerge from our game as victor."

His eyes twinkled in amusement and his lips curled upwards.

"As much as I would enjoy you doing whatever _that _was," he said, and she blushed – she'd been convinced she'd blocked the dirty image that had popped unwelcome into her mind of her and Nikola on her bed. "I would never be so cruel as to force you by winning a bet. No, I'd much rather you be a willing participant. All I ask for when I am victorious is a kiss."

"Poor thing, you are in danger of becoming predictable, aren't you?" she teased. He had always enjoyed the way her blue eyes danced with mirth when she flirted.

"You are quite literally in my mind at the current point in time, ljubav," Nikola pointed out, "It shouldn't be that difficult for you to see what I am thinking."

"You seem to imply it would be difficult in normal circumstances," she responded sweetly.

"Minx," he said with a soft growl and she smiled brightly. "But perhaps it is because you simply know me too well, my dear?"

He took a step towards her and she was afraid that their game would be over before it began if he came any closer.

"No claiming your prize yet, Niko," she said, placing a hand on his chest to push him away softly, "You haven't won."

"Then let's sort it out so we can on with it and I can claim my prize sooner," Nikola said, his eyes lingering hungrily on her lips.

"Alright," she said, "If I win..." she paused, thinking for a moment. What would torture Nikola the most? She grinned wickedly. "If I win, you must apologise _contritely _to Will, Henry and Kate and remain civil and friendly towards them for at least a week."

"A week, Helen, really?" Nikola said.

"Alright, at least a day then, do you think you can manage that?" she said.

"That's not fair Helen," Nikola whined, crossing his arms, "You expect me to suck up to the three children?"

"Well you better make sure you win then," she smirked, before turning on her heel and walking off.

\||\\

Helen was seated on one of the couches in her office talking to Henry as they awaited the arrival of the rest of the team, and Nikola, to join them for the meeting. Helen couldn't help but feel a tingle of excitement through her body in anticipation of her little game with Nikola. Either way she won, really. Seeing Nikola having to 'play nice with the children' would be amusing to no end, and she'd probably end up kissing him anyway.

Nikola waltzed into her office a moment later, gracefully sinking into the seat opposite her and next to Henry, his eyes never leaving her.

_**You're on time, **_she sent, a bit surprised.

_**Just getting a jump start on our wager, my dear, **_he sent. _**The sooner I win, the sooner I can have you in my arms all hot and bothered...**_

"Is it just me, or does it seem to be of a particularly high temperature?" Helen said, looking directly at Nikola with what he could only describe as a mischievous twinkle in those glorious eyes of hers.

"Uh..." Henry said, glancing at his tablet. He pushed a few buttons speedily to bring up the temperature statistics in Magnus's office. He was confused to see they were all level and normal, no hotter than they usually were or should be. Perhaps it was a heat-emitting abnormal that only affected human physiology... he continued to frantically push buttons on his tablet.

Helen continued to stare pointedly at Nikola across from her as she slowly slid her jacket off her shoulders and let it slide down her arms. She deliberately wriggled a bit more than necessary as she removed the item of clothing. As it fell to the floor, she leant forward, angling her body to make sure Nikola had a perfect view of her now semi-exposed chest. Thankfully, Henry was preoccupied with the temperature stats, or else the poor HAP may have become flustered enough to drop his precious tablet.

_**You teasing little... **_Nikola muttered mentally, crossing his legs. He was loathe to admit just how much her little display had aroused him. _**That's not fair.**_

_**All's fair, **_Helen sent and he could have sworn he could see her smiling smugly.

_**You're going to regret ever saying that phrase to me you know, **_Nikola smirked.

_**Oh look, I seem to have dropped my pen, **_Helen responded. _**How dreadfully clumsy of me. **_

Nikola almost groaned aloud as she flicked her pen from her clipboard to the floor in one swift motion and repeated her torturous move from before. It was proving to be much too effective on him. He wanted to do nothing more than bound over to her and take her right then and there on the couch – Wolf Boy and their bet be damned. It would be her own fault anyway, she should know how dangerously alluring she was doing the simplest actions let alone actual deliberate moves of a seductive nature.

She must have picked up on some of his thoughts, because she grinned victoriously at him. He should have blocked them better, but he had been so wrapped up in what he wanted to do to her on that couch he'd forgotten she could read his mind.

_**Ready to concede defeat already, Nikola? **_She sent all-too innocently.

_**Never. **_He sent back, shifting in his seat. Her eyes twinkled in amusement. She knew exactly what she was doing to him and she was enjoying it thoroughly. He'd always suspected she was a wild little thing behind her prim and proper facade. What else could one expect from a woman who had been so far ahead of her time in the era they had been born to?

_**As you wish, **_she sent, still amused.

"There's nothing wrong with the temperature levels," Henry said, startling them both, as they'd almost forgotten he was sitting there with them. "I checked the levels on here, then I checked to make sure that they weren't faulty or that any abnormals had got loose..."

Helen bit her lip guiltily as she looked at Henry's genuine expression.

_**And you don't want me to mock him, **_Nikola scoffed mentally.

|\|\\


	10. Prizes

**Yayyyy update. Sanctuary in two more days...! :) I get the feeling you Teslen lovers are going to like this one. ;) **

|\\|\

The moment Will entered the room he noticed the locked gaze of his boss and Tesla. It must have had less to do with his observational skills and more to do with the intensity of their gaze, as Kate nudged him with her elbow as she snickered. Will flopped down on the couch next to his boss and Kate into an armchair. Henry looked grateful not to be alone with the two geniuses. The Big Guy sat next to Henry, causing the HAP to shift closer to Tesla, who gave him a disgusted look.

_**I'll assume that look is simply getting your disdain out of your system for when I win our wager, **_Helen teased, tapping her pen on her clipboard.

_**You speak with such confidence, ljubav, **_Nikola's eyes were alight. _**But we've barely even begun our game.**_

Helen smirked and leant over as if to check some of the papers on the table, once again offering him a deliberate and generous view of cleavage. She righted herself once more with a smug look on her face and a raised eyebrow, challenging him to do better.

"Should we get started?" Will said, his eyes shifting between his boss and Tesla.

"Of course," Helen said, smoothly. She smiled at Nikola.

"I have a proposition for how we could keep the Vamp from distracting you, Doc," Kate offered.

"And what, pray tell, would that be, Kate?" Helen said, curious. She wasn't about to tell her staff she'd already found a very effective way of silencing the cocky vampire. One that was perhaps a little too enjoyable for her also.

"We could get some bad-ass sedative that could knock out an elephant for a week and try it on him," Kate said. Helen's lips twitched upwards.

_**I don't like that one, **_Nikola bristled.

"As utterly tempting as the suggestion is, Kate," Helen responded, "I'd much rather not experiment on Nikola with powerful sedatives."

"Aw, Helen," Nikola said with a hand over his heart, "I knew you were growing fond of me."

"You do have your uses," Helen acquiesced.

_**Have I mentioned you are a quite satisfactory kisser? **_She sent.

_**Oh, you mentioned that I was much more than 'quite satisfactory', **_Nikola grinned.

Helen sent him a mental poke.

"Ow, Helen, no need to continually abuse me in your mind," Nikola said, "Just because they can't see it now."

She responded with another sharp mental poke.

"Would you guys like some more time alone to flirt?" Kate said.

"It's alright, you talk amongst yourselves," Nikola said, waving a hand dismissively, "Mommy and Daddy have grown up talk to do."

"Honestly, Nikola," Helen said, "You consider yourself in the grown up category? I contest that notion wholeheartedly." She turned to Henry. "Henry, you had something you wished to report about some of the enclosures?"

"Uh...right," Henry said, coughing to clear his throat before beginning to fill them in on the new security protocols he'd employed downstairs in the containment units.

_**You know I have a lovely pair of handcuffs, **_Helen sent teasingly, watching Nikola's face,_** and a blind fold that we could do wonders with.**_

_**Protege is watching us, Helen, **_Nikola sent. He'd said it as much to ease his own growing arousal as much to inform her of her nosey protege scrutinizing them instead of paying attention to Wolf-Boy like a good little child.

Helen noticed Will looking intently between them and sighed inwardly. Will really was taking this telepathic connection harder than the others. She wasn't really sure where it was coming from, whether it was jealously or displacement as he was usually the one who worked so closely with her she did not know. She was quite irked by his persistent icy behaviour and mistrust towards Nikola. He may not know Nikola well enough – and the vampire certainly hadn't shown him his well guarded likable sides – to trust him, or to like him. But Helen had thought that he could at least trust in herself and her views. It was disappointing to her that he seemed to value her opinion so little when it came to Nikola.

_**Let him then, **_Helen sent, all-but purring in her mind. Nikola raised an eyebrow.

_**We're back to exhibitionism? **_He sent.

_**You're looking a bit...uncomfortable over there, Nikola, **_Helen said, her eyes drifting lower before rising back up to his face. _**Shall I join you and help to alleviate some of your discomfort? **_

_**Perhaps I'll come over there and get the children used to their new daddy, **_Nikola responded with a growl. He accompanied the message with a mental flash of an image. Him pinning her to the couch, his lips crashing onto hers with a ferocity that she had no doubt would send fire roaring through her veins...

"Magnus?" it was Will's voice that snapped her out of her reverie.

"Yes?" she said, shaking her head slightly to clear it of Nikola's intoxicating presence. He smirked widely.

"You...ah, squeaked?" Kate said, her eyes darting suspiciously over to Tesla.

"Ah," Helen said. Nikola's grin with unbearably triumphant. "I apologise Henry, please, do continue."

_**I sense that I'll be claiming my prize very soon, **_Nikola said.

_**Bloody hell, **_Helen muttered.

"Magnus?" it was Henry this time who interrupted her. Apparently, she'd uttered her favourite expression out loud as well.

"I have something of the utmost importance to attend to in my lab," Helen said, standing abruptly, "it completely slipped my mind." She gave a pointed look at Nikola. "Nikola?"

Helen stalked out of the room before they had a chance to protest. Nikola stood with a wide grin and went to follow her.

"I've been summoned," he said, swanning out after her.

She was already half-way to the elevator by the time he reached her and he immediately pushed his lips against hers when he did. She moaned and pulled him by the collar into the elevator. He didn't even have time to marvel at her ability to not stumble as she walked backwards in those ridiculously high heels.

_**Does this mean I won then? **_Nikola sent.

_**I think we both did, **_she sent absently.

Any other smart remarks were thrown out of his head as their tongues duelled desperately for control, as it always was with them. Her fingers curled into his spiky hair as she tried to pull him impossibly closer, his own actions with his arms on her hips mirroring her action and desire to be ever-closer.

_**God, Nikola, **_she sent. Her lungs were screaming for air, and a little part of her mind was telling the scientific part of shut up and that oxygen really wasn't necessary. It couldn't be, not when kissing Nikola like that felt so right.

_**Helen, **_he growled in response.

He barely registered the elevator dinging open as they staggered out. They were both headed subconsciously in the direction of her bedroom, not that there would be a complaint from Nikola as to that location.

She ripped at his shirt the moment he kicked her bedroom door shut behind them. He chuckled at her aggression as their lips broke apart.

_**If you ruin my shirt...**_ he threatened half-heartedly.

_**Do you really care right now, Niko? **_She said.

The way she'd said his nick-name (albeit mentally) was enough to rip away the last dregs of control he'd been maintaining in the last ten minutes and he growled. His eyes blackened and he pushed her the short distance to her bed until her legs hit it and she fell back onto the welcoming mattress.

_**For you, I'd ruin a thousand shirts, **_Nikola sent, following her onto the bed and capturing her soft lips again. He could become addicted to those lips. He probably already was.

He felt soft laughter ripple through her body and he growled. She was too much for him. He had not only pined for this moment for a very long time but yearned for it. It had become so unreachable, that it was more a fantasy. It was this that made him pause.

Helen let out a disappointed mewl that almost shattered his resolve.

_**What's wrong? **_She sent, sensing his hesitation. _**We're not doing anything sinful, Nikola, **_she said mockingly, _**we are married after all. **_

_**Are you sure? **_He sent back. Her eyes softened as did her mental walls.

It shocked him for a moment and he wasn't sure what was happening, but then he realised that she was letting him into her mind. Into all of her mind. She'd let down many of the mental barriers they'd both put up – more on instinct – before and was letting him see her, really see her. His eyes widened as he felt her willingness, her longing for him to touch her, to hold her, to love her. If he had only known before, he would have held onto to her and never let her go.

It was such a peculiar yet profoundly intimate experience, and Nikola felt a renewed rush of utter adoration for the woman lying beneath him, baring her soul to him. She was so bold, she always had been. It only made him love her more.


	11. Good Morning II

**Hello my lovely Teslenites. :) **

**Once again, thank you so much for the wonderful reviews! You're all awesome. **

\||\\

Helen opened her eyes with a lazy grin on her face as she felt the arms that encircled her waist possessively. Her head was resting on his bare chest and their legs were entwined, much like their minds at the current point in time. The sun was already well and truly up, she could tell that much by the way the light shone through her thin white curtains, which was unusual for her. She rarely slept in, there was always too much to do to be wasting precious time on something like sleep.

But right now she couldn't imagine anywhere she would rather be than wrapped up in her very comfortable bed in the even more comfortable embrace of a certain vampire.

_**Stop squirming, ljubav, **_his voice popped into her head. She hadn't realised he was awake.

_**I thought you'd like me squirming? **_She bit back, nuzzling into his chest and enjoying the feel of his arms tightening about her.

_**Your hair is tickling my chest, **_he sent, pouting. She couldn't help but laugh at that.

_**You're going to whinge after last night? **_She sent.

Nikola responded with a gentle mental caress. It was like a calmly wash of affection sweeping through her body, warming her from her head right down to her toes, and she shivered in pleasure.

"Mmm," she managed.

"I thought you'd like that," he responded out loud also.

_**When did you figure out how to do that? **_She queried. He'd been a bit distracted last night after all, and she was sure he would have tried it on her much sooner had he figured it out. She knew she wouldn't have been able to resist him for as long as she had if he'd done _that_. Whatever _that _really was. She was beginning to like this telepathy.

_**I've been awake for about an hour, **_he sent with a mental shrug. He began to absently toy with a bit of her hair and she smiled. He'd done that back at Oxford. _**I was attempting to discover a delectable method in which to arouse you... from your sleep that is. **_

_**Cheeky **_she sent with a contrary sigh of pleasure. _**Though this would have very much sufficed.**_

She tilted her head up and arched her neck so that she could plant a kiss on his lips. As she went to pull away, he held her firmly and drew her lips to his once more. In a swift move he rolled them over so that he was pinning her to the bed as their tongues battled for dominance.

Helen wrapped her arms around his neck as she ran her fingers through his hair. It was adorably mussed as he woke.

_**Really, Helen? **_He sent amusedly, _**for all of your intelligence, that's how you wish to describe my hair?**_

She'd ceased being shocked by now at his ability to read her thoughts. In fact, she'd pretty much stopped trying to hide such thoughts from him altogether, so she wasn't surprised when he picked up on some.

Last night, they'd connected on such a deep and exposed level – mentally, not physically. Though, that wasn't to say the physical aspect hadn't been amazing also. All of their fears, their feelings, their deepest consciousness had been bared for the other to see. It had been utterly terrifying and yet so freeing. Now that they had crossed that bridge they could commune on a deeper level also. They were both willing to open themselves up to the full prospect that the telepathy presented.

She'd never said she loved him, had not even realised that she may herself, but she knew that he had seen it. Even if she wasn't ready to say it out loud just yet. She too had seen the love that Nikola had unabashedly lead her to see in his mind.

_**So, I've never actually had a wedding night before, **_Nikola sent, _**but I would say that was more than satisfactory. Much, much more.**_

She untangled one of her arms from their position around his heck so as to slap his chest.

_**Don't think that this means you're getting a carte blanche around here, **_Helen reminded him.

_**I wouldn't dream of it, **_he sent back, nipping at her neck as he did so.

She suddenly forgot what she'd been scolding him about and enjoyed the feel of his lips on her skin.

She briefly wondered if they were ever going to leave her room this morning. For once, she wouldn't complain about missing work.

But a steady pounding noise drew them back to reality and Helen let out a frustrated sigh. Why couldn't the world leave them alone?

"Hey Doc," Henry's voice came through the door.

_**I do wish you'd let me take care of the underlings, Helen, **_Nikola drawled in her mind, _**If you weren't so inexplicably fond of them...**_

She shot him a look.

"What is it, Henry?" Helen called out to the young man.

"Are you okay? We've been looking for you everywhere," Henry said, "We didn't even think to check in your room. You never sleep this late. Is everything okay?"

"Its fine, Henry," she said, "Was there something you needed?"

"Uh, we have some good news," Henry said.

"Alright," she replied, "I'll be down in my office in a few minutes."

_**A few minutes, Helen? **_Nikola said, a glint in his eyes, _**that sounds like a challenge. Shall I prove to you I can make you scream in that time frame?**_

She paused. She was very tempted to take him up on that offer. But she knew that if she didn't go and meet with the others they'd come looking. She didn't exactly want Nikola to prove his point with her employees standing right outside.

So instead she, regrettably, slid off the bed and out of his reach. She didn't trust him to be within touching distance, or else she may just let him have his wicked way with her, children be damned.

He smirked, despite letting out a dramatic sigh of disappointed annoyance. Of course he knew how tempting his offer was.

_**Get dressed, **_she ordered, as she stalked over to her own rather expansive wardrobe to select an outfit for the day.

_**But that would entail an arduous journey back to my room to do so, **_he said, with another dramatic sigh.

_**Nikola, you deliberately chose the closest guest room to my own room that you could upon taking up residence here, **_Helen pointed out, _**How exactly does that constitute an 'arduous journey'?**_

She picked out one of her favourite black pencil skirts and a silk blue top that she knew Nikola would appreciate. When had she started dressing for him? Probably a hundred years ago when she'd deliberately worn that light blue dress she knew he loved at Oxford whenever she could. Or the crimson dress.

_**I would be away from you, **_he said.

_**It doesn't suddenly become less cliché when you say it telepathically, Nikola, **_Helen sent. Though she did grin. _**Besides, in all your genius have you not yet noticed that we're never apart now?**_

_**Aw, Helen, **_Nikola said, pushing himself off the bed and slipping into his clothes from the previous day, _**I just knew you were a hopeless romantic under that hard veneer. **_

She rolled her eyes.

_**It's a scientific fact, Nikola, **_she sent back, _**not a sentiment. **_

He pouted.

_**Though that doesn't mean the sentiment wasn't also there, **_she sent more softly, shooting him a glance from across the room.

He grinned widely and her heart almost skipped a beat. It felt so natural being here with him like this, teasing each other, but being able to show she cared without worrying.

_**Now shoo, **_she added, _**I have to get dressed.**_

\||\\

Helen managed to change quickly. She'd had plenty of practice in making herself look more than presentable in very short periods of time over the years. She made her way to her office, sensing Nikola's presence before he sauntered up behind her. He wrapped his arms around her waist as she was waiting for the elevator.

_**You really are perpetually affectionate, aren't you? **_She sent in amusement.

_**You love it, **_he responded.

She couldn't deny that she enjoyed his attentions. Nor could she deny she had often wondered what it would be like to be with Nikola.

_**We are most definitely not christening the corridor – or the elevator – on our way to this meeting, **_she said, pre-empting what he was inevitably planning.

He followed her into the elevator sulkily.

_**You should teach the children something, Helen, **_he sent, _**they need to learn basic virtues such as patience. **_

She just shook her head and exited the elevator as the doors slid open and walked the short distance that remained to her office, Nikola trailed behind her with a spring in his step.

_**Stop staring**_**, **Helen sent as she felt his eyes drift to her backside. That was another use for their telepathic bond.

He just smirked.

"Hey Magnus," Will said, jumping up from where he'd been lounging on the couch when she came in. "We have some good news."

"Depends what you consider to be good news," Kate muttered under her breath. She wasn't so sure that the Doc and the Vamp were going to be as excited as Will about this development.

"Well, now there's a welcome change," Nikola said bitingly, sitting down on the opposite couch, "Huggybear doing something right for once."

"Nikola," Helen warned. _**Behave. **_

_**Or what, you'll punish me? **_He sent back.

He was baiting her.

"Let Will speak," she said, taking a seat next to Nikola.

"Of course, ljubav," Nikola said, "I'd love to hear what protege deems important enough to drag -,"

A sharp mental poke stopped whatever comment Nikola had been about to make in regards to what they'd been doing previously.

"Sorry, Will," Helen said, "Do continue."

"Right," Will said, pausing only briefly to look between the pair with a suspicious glance. "We were looking at some more things this morning -,"

"By which he means he was and we were watching in confusion," Kate said.

"I was looking through some of those documents we managed to salvage from the cave," Will said, "And I think I found a clause relating to annulment."

Helen didn't even want to think about the sinking of her heart when Will had said that.

"Oh?" she said. She looked down at her hands.

Nikola's mental-prod made her look back up and at him. He was watching her questioningly. She was thankful when he didn't say anything, and she turned her attention back to Will.

"Basically, the whole crazy vampire marriage only comes into effect once the marriage has been consummated," Will said.

Helen paled. _Oh_.

_**It seems as if we shot that prospect to hell, **_Nikola sent.


	12. Still Hitched

**Okay, so I know I haven't updated in a while (and I left you with a hell of a cliff-hanger). But if anyone is reading my other fic, as I said in it, I've been very busy with finishing up uni stuff. But now I am free! *does a jig* **

**So, without further ado, for your entertainment, the next chapter...**

**Oh, one more thing (aka further ado) – how could I almost forget to say thank you for all of your lovely reviews! You guys make my day! I offer up chartreuseian's services in making Tesla-stache cookies, without permission of course. :P **

\|\\\

"How completely apt," Nikola grinned at Helen.

_**Say one word and I will never sleep with you again, **_Helen hissed.

_**We weren't doing very much actual sleeping, Helen, **_Nikola sent back. He was, inevitably enjoying this far too much for her comfort, or for her fraying nerves.

"Why is it apt?" Henry said.

Helen shot Nikola a dangerous look. The one Nikola liked to fondly call the patented-Magnus-death-ray. If she weren't so completely and overwhelmingly attractive when she utilised it, he would have been more worried.

"It merely sums up the implication that marriage is based solely on sexual relations," Nikola said, waving a hand with a flourish. Helen rolled her eyes.

_**What, you didn't want me to tell the underlings what mommy was up to last night, **_Nikola said. _**So, what now?**_

_**I hadn't got that far actually...**_Helen sent, somewhat sheepishly.

_**What was it that Jimmy boy used to say? Same old Helen, jumping off the cliff and hoping to spring wings? **_Nikola sent amusedly.

_**Something like that I believe, **_Helen agreed.

"How exactly does this condition work, Will?" Helen said.

"Like a real life annulment I suppose," Will said, "Though we never did have a ceremony or anything -,"

"Yes, we really should rectify that Helen, my sweet wife," Nikola said. "I was thinking a spring ceremony. You, in a delectable crimson dress. White would simply be too ordinary and dull, which we never were. Besides, the crimson has such a personal note, don't you think?"

"Nikola," Helen growled.

_**You're enjoying this far too much, **_she sent. He winked at her.

_**Of course I am, ljubav, **_he sent in return, _**Would you expect anything else from me? I'm hurt to think you may have.**_

_**Don't be childish, Nikola, **_Helen said.

_**That's Nikola, my darling husband, **_Nikola corrected.

_**Cheeky monkey, **_Helen sighed.

_**But you love me, **_he goaded. She smiled at him.

_**Perhaps, on occasion, **_she teased.

"Can someone tell me why everything just got so weird?" Henry said, a little lost. Kate was watching her boss and the vamp with suspicious eyes.

"They're doing their mental communication thing," Kate said.

"Yes, Nikola and I were just conversing about...the best way to go about this," Helen said, carefully.

"What's there to discuss?" Will said, "You don't have to be the reluctant bride of Mr Arrogant over there."

"Really, 'Mr Arrogant'?" Nikola said, "What a horrible nick-name, Expendable." Will raised his hands in a gesture of frustration, Nikola just grinned.

"Well, the concerning aspect of that, uh, solution," Helen said, "Is that one would assume that the telepathic connection would be terminated along with the marital ties."

"I guess so," Will shrugged. In his excitement of freeing his boss from the vampire he hadn't thought about that. "But I thought that's what you wanted?"

"Yeah, hasn't Vlad been driving you three ways loco these last few days?" Kate smirked.

"Yes," Helen said.

_**Ouch, Helen, that stung, **_Nikola sent with mock flair.

"However, we've also had the opportunity to explore a unique connection that has unveiled many intriguing sides to telepathy," Helen said, "Being able to experience it first hand is a valuable experience."

"So..." Will said, "What is it you're saying?"

"The Doc wants to stay bonded to the creepy vamp," Kate said, "Seriously, boss? You really want him running rampant in your head for _more time_?"

Helen smiled softly.

"He's not as bad as you'd think," Helen said.

"Helen, I'm so very touched," Nikola said, "I knew you didn't really want me dead."

"Don't push it," she said.

"That's not what you were saying last n-," Nikola said. But Helen cut him off with a rather brutal mental jab. She had to admit, it was rather sharp, but she'd done it in the heat of the moment to try and stop him from saying what he had been about to.

_**Ouch! **_Nikola whined, _**this is domestic abuse. I don't know why the children are so concerned about the prospect of **_**me **_**causing trouble in **_**your **_**head. If they only knew what a violent little minx you are. **_

Helen smirked but sent him a silent mental apology.

_**Nikola, please, **_Helen said.

_**I know of another place where I wouldn't be averse to some begging from you, **_he sent with a grin.

_**Nikola, **_Helen said in warning.

_**Alright, alright, Helen, **_Nikola said, _**but I'm playing your game here. The children would be suspicious if I didn't come on to you.**_

_**Nikola, don't be ridiculous, **_Helen sent. But then she thought about it. _**That's probably an accurate summation.**_

"How long are we talking here, boss?" Kate said. "I'm not sure how much longer I can put up with your mental talking. It's really weird." She looked between the pair uneasily.

"I'm not sure," Helen said, "We need an appropriate period of time to properly explore our connection. It really is very remarkable and Nikola and I have been uncovering some very interesting avenues."

"But...you do realise you'll be _married _to him still, right?" Will said. Helen sent Will a soft, reassuring smile.

"Relax, Will," she said, "Of course I understand the implications of this decision. However, this is an opportunity to valuable to throw away simply because of some personal aversion."

_**Aversion? Are you implying I'm an 'aversion'**_**? **Nikola sent.

_**I'll show you just how much this particular aversion means to me later, last night was simply a precursor, we haven't even tried those handcuffs you seem so fond of yet, **_Helen said. Nikola's face lit up as though Edison had been discovered to be a fraud.

Helen glanced at her employees to find them staring at her with expressions of incredulity. Her gaze shifted uneasily to Nikola.

_**Helen, dearest, **_he said, _**do you remember that little problem you were having earlier about confusing mental and verbal modes of communication...?**_

_**Oh dear lord, **_Helen sent.

_**Precisely, **_Nikola responded.

Her words had been pretty specific. Of all the statements she could have said out loud... though it did make sense. When emotions were running high it became more difficult to control their form of communication. She'd been somewhat flustered in her train of thought.

"Please tell me I didn't just hear what I thought I heard," Henry said, looking at Kate with pleading eyes.

"Please, protege, do close your mouth before you start catching flies," Nikola drawled, as though Helen hadn't just inadvertently revealed their rather amorous activities of the previous night, "I may be your new daddy, but I am not helping you if you get sick because you swallowed some form of abnormal fly that's buzzing around this place."

\|\\\

**Oh, and thanks to Chapa'ai-hi (if I spelt your name wrong I'm going to kick myself) for putting the idea of Helen accidentally saying something out loud. :) **


	13. New Daddy

**I just watched 'Ice Breaker'. How good was it? I don't care what anyone says I loved it. The only thing that could have made it more perfect was Nikola...and Helen...in a storage closet. I felt the need to share.**

**It is way too hot here. It's not even summer yet. :( I felt the need to share that also. **

**Anyway, once again thank you so much for your wonderful reviews. You guys really do make my day, even though I know I'm starting to sound like a broken record about it. But you really do. **

|\\|\

"Bugs...abnormal...?" Will said, confused and quite lost for words. Helen shot her _husband _an annoyed look for torturing her poor employees with his casual words. "Please, please tell this is some sort of a joke, Magnus."

"Yeah, ha, ha very funny, Doc," Henry said, jumping on Will's idea of a practical joke like a survivor clinging to a plank of wood in the wake of a shipwreck.

Helen half-considered playing along with the practical joke idea, but she knew neither of them really believed it. Besides, it would come out eventually and it was about time that the two young men grew up a little bit and accepted the fact that she was free to choose whomever she pleased to share her personal life with, despite their childish grievances. It had nothing to do with them, it was about her and Nikola. Though she valued their opinions greatly, this was one area in which she would staunchly ignore them. She'd known Nikola for longer than they'd been alive – both of their ages added together and them some – who were they to judge?

_**Here-here, ljubav, finely said – or should I say 'thought'? **_Nikola sent.

_**Nikola, we may be married but isn't there a saying about still maintaining a modicum of personal space? **_Helen replied, though her mental-tone light.

_**Perhaps you should have thought about that tiny detail, my dear, before you decided to recklessly put on a telepathic bracelet, **_Nikola responded. She smiled.

_**Oh yes, how utterly reckless of me, **_she sent. _**I'll just have to use my rather effective method of keeping you quiet in order to gain some peace. **_

She sent him a mental image of her bed... and what she would very much like to do to him in it to keep him quiet.

_**I concur with that assessment, Helen, **_Nikola responded solemnly, though the spark in his steely blue eyes gave him away, _**I do believe it is the sole way to keep me quiet. You'll just have to utilise it with great frequency if you ever wish to have peace again.**_

_**Cheeky bloody monkey**_**, **she laughed. _**Whatever am I going to do with you?**_

_**I thought that is what we just established, my sweet wife, **_Nikola sent with a smirk.

Helen, seemingly having realised they still had company – namely her shell-shocked employees – turned back to them with an unapologetic smile. She may as well go all in after all now that the cat was out of the proverbial bag.

"As much as I disagree with Nikola's phrasing, I do agree that you should kindly stop gaping," Helen said, directing the comment mainly at Will, whose expression was bordering on the rather comical.

"But, you and _Tesla_," Henry said. As though pointing that fact out to her would suddenly make her realise who she was with and end it right then and there. She let out a small sigh of frustration.

"Yes, Henry, Nikola and I," Helen said, patiently.

"The children are always reluctant to accept a new parent, Helen," Nikola smirked. She'd have to get him back later for being so damn amused by this whole situation. He'd probably enjoy what she had in mind though. She had to find a new way to actually punish him if they were married now.

_**You're not helping matters, **_Helen sent warningly, but was only greeted with the response of some mental nuzzling in an attempt to wear her down. She hated that it worked.

"As hard as it may be for you to accept – for whatever reason," Helen added with a look at Nikola, "Nikola and I have known each other for a very, very substantial period of time."

"So Helen finally decided that was enough foreplay and jumped me when -," Nikola said but was cut off by the method that was fast becoming Helen's favourite part of telepathy – mental pokes.

_**Stop trying to help, Nikola, **_Helen sent, trying not to let her amusement show too much, but she knew he could sense it. She really shouldn't be enjoying this as much as she was.

"Hey, maybe he has her under some sort of mind control!" Henry said, eyes going wide, "Because of their weird telepathic bond!"

"Yes, I'm sure that's what it is," Kate said, rolling her eyes.

"What?" Henry said, "It makes more sense to me."

"That's because you read too many comic books," Kate said, "Besides, are you really saying you didn't see this coming?" Henry simply blinked back at her. "Men!" Kate threw up her hands.

Helen gave Kate a grateful smile. Though it was a somewhat alarming thought that the young ex-mercenary had picked up on the tension between herself and Nikola before Helen had even allowed herself to acknowledge its existence. She'd have to ask Kate a bit more about it later.

"So, what does this mean?" Will said. He seemed to have regained his balance in the conversation, with his practical side emerging again, for which Helen was insurmountably grateful.

"It means, protege," Nikola said, "That Helen and I are married and you're going to have to deal with it."

"Nikola," Helen scolded with a light tone, "But...essentially, yes. I apologise for the less than wholesome way in which you had to find out," she felt particularly guilty for poor Henry. She had practically raised the young HAP and so had become like a mother figure to him. "But this is between myself and Nikola. Whatever complications arise it is for us to sort out."

There was a beat of silence before one of them said anything. Helen waited nervously. Despite her words about essentially not needing their blessing, they were still her friends and she wanted their support.

"Mazel tov, Boss," Kate said, grinning. "I'm just glad we don't have to put up with your sexually charged banter anymore."

_**I wouldn't count on that one, **_Nikola sent, smirking.

_**Don't tell them that yet, Nikola, **_Helen sent, _**I think they have enough to deal with for one day, don't you?**_

_**Your wish is my command, my mistress, **_Nikola sent dramatically.

_**Since when, Nikola? **_She responded with a scoff.

_**Since I envision a nice little role-playing game may emerge from it, **_Nikola sent saucily.

"Yeah, I may not like the guy, Doc," Henry said.

"I'm still right here," Nikola pointed out.

"But I just want you to be happy," Henry finished, ignoring Nikola.

"Thank you, Kate, Henry," Helen smiled warmly.

They turned to Will, who sighed.

He still didn't like it. There was something far too suspicious in his mind about the timing for it to sit well with him. He didn't want to accept that Tesla was trustworthy, despite his boss's seeming trust in him.

"I suppose I have no choice," Will said, "I trust you, Magnus, and I hope you know what you're doing."

"Dude, that's the crappiest congratulations I've ever heard," Kate said.

"Hey, we just found out our boss is married to the most annoying vampire ever," Will said.

Helen laughed softly at their bickering. She could sense Will's reluctance still, but knew that he would wear down eventually. His protectiveness was rather touching after all, even if misguided.

_**See, ljubav, **_Nikola said with a little mental-nuzzle, _**I told you it would be alright.**_

_**No you most certainly did not, **_Helen sent back with a chuckle.

_**Alright, perhaps I skimmed over that sentiment of reassurance, but I was rather preoccupied by my new wife, **_he replied.

She laughed.

_**Can I kiss you now? **_He sent. She found it adorable how quickly he changed from his snarky bravado to the insecure boy she'd known back at Oxford. He really did care about her, and her wishes though, and that was touching.

_**Of course you can, **_she replied.

He grinned and walked over to her. Helen smiled but felt a familiar surge of emotion. She felt a little panicked now, the last time she'd felt like this had been right before she'd fainted. She didn't understand. She'd thought it had just been a mix of exhaustion and the sudden influx of Nikola's thoughts into her mind before she'd had the chance to properly get used to it.

_**Niko, **_she sent, but he'd seemed to sense something was wrong, and had quickened his pace to be by her side as she swayed. She briefly registered the cries of her team as she fell into Nikola's waiting arms, and his own concern flowing over her before everything went black.

|\\\|

**I don't know what my preoccupation with making Helen faint is... I've done it in like three stories, and twice alone in this one. **


	14. Private Emotion II

**Thanks so much to everyone once again for the reviews! This chapter get's a bit sappy at moments, and there is plentiful Will-bashing (I don't even know why I'm so angry at Will more than usual at the moment). **

**There's also a shout-out to Chimera for anyone who has seen (and squee-d over) the preview...which hopefully everyone has! So good. :P **

|\\||

"Twice a charm," Nikola said, with a concerned glance at Helen as she fell into his arms. He had to admit, under different circumstances, she felt very right in them.

"Wait, this has happened before?" Will said, immediately finding a way to blame the vampire for something.

"Yes, protege," Nikola said, a condescending edge to his tone, "Mommy doesn't tell the children everything you know."

"You didn't think Magnus _collapsing _was important?" Will said.

"No, _she _didn't think it was important that _you _knew," Nikola snapped. He was growing tired of the young man's seeming need to know everything about Helen. Did he not realise that she was a woman with over a century's worth of experience in life and her work, and he was but a child to people like them?

Nikola swept Helen's legs up with his left arm as his right remained supporting her body. He had to smirk – the damn smirk sneaking through his concerned expression – as she shifting subconsciously closer to him, her face nuzzling into his chest. The action was comforting when her mind wasn't available to mentally nuzzle. He was surprised at his own attachment to the mental acts of affection. It had been but a few days and already he was feeling lost and frightened without the assurance and bizarre warmth of her presence in his mind.

"Move," Nikola commanded, walking to the door. Kate and Henry followed after him in concern. He was sure Helen's grumpy protege would be following too, after all, he seemed to detest being out of the loop.

"What happened?" Helen's carpet-butler said, emerging from the elevator as it dinged open. Nikola would have been amused at the walking carpet's ability to convey concern in a grunt had he himself not been so concerned for his unconscious wife. He didn't even have enough time to consider the tingle through his body as he thought of her as his wife.

"Helen collapsed," Nikola said, pushing into the elevator.

"I'll fill you in," Kate said, offering a sympathetic smile to the Big Guy.

"Uh uh, no," Nikola said, as they moved to follow him into the elevator, "Sorry, no room. You can take the next one." He sent a small smirk as the doors closed. It vanished as soon as they did, replaced by a fearful expression.

He looked at her, still in his arms, looking so peaceful and so beautiful. She took his breath away. But, then again, she always had. Nikola had never believed in the ridiculous romantic notions of affection having the ability to physically affect someone so dramatically. That was until he had gone to Oxford and been nearly overwhelmed by a certain bright-eyed blonde with the fiercely determined mind and a sharp tongue to match.

He had never felt as afraid as in moments when he thought he might lose her. In those moments, he could no longer hide from the emotions he felt for her. Especially in their young years when she had shown no inclination – or so he had thought – of returning his very strong feelings for her. He'd been content enough to just be her friend knowing that he would at least be around her.

But now that he had finally been able to show her how he felt – to really show her, letting her literally into his mind and bearing it out for her – he couldn't lose her. He may not survive it.

He knew he was probably overreacting, she had only fainted after all, but just the sight of her unconscious in his arms was enough to scare him. Not to mention the loss of mental connection, it was terrifying.

"Helen, wake up, ljubav," he said, softly, hating the pleading edge to his tone. Helen had always brought out a side of him no one else could. "We haven't even been married for a week yet and you're leaving me? I know I infuriate you, but I can't be that bad..."

"Besides, we haven't even had a honeymoon yet, and you're not worming you way out of it. Vienna in the springtime is always nice..."

He got to the infirmary quickly and laid her down on one of the beds. He knew how she disliked being on the receiving end of doctor-patient care, stubborn as hell she was, but he wasn't going to be as accepting since this was the second time she'd collapsed so far.

He was just carefully positioning her so she would be comfortable when she woke when her minions entered the infirmary. The Big Guy grunted at him suspiciously, coming over and making sure that his old friend was indeed alright.

"What do you think made her collapse like that?" Kate said.

"Yeah, I've never seen the Doc just all out faint like that," Henry said.

"What was she...what were you guys saying, you know, in your heads just before she pulled a damsel in distress move?" Kate said.

"Helen is no damsel in distress," Nikola snapped. "And nothing that you need to know."

"Okay," Kate said, holding her hands up in a gesture of defeat, "Touchy."

"Well my wife has just collapsed for the second time for no apparent reason," Nikola said, "So forgive me for being concerned."

"Wife?" Will scoffed. "Please, you've barely been married four days. Besides, it's not a real marriage anyway."

"You've no idea what marriage is about if you think that," Nikola said. Will was really starting to get on his last nerve, which was saying something. "And you've obviously no idea about Helen and my relationship, so stop speaking of things you don't understand. There is something wrong with Helen and all you can think about is your dislike for me."

"It's your fault she's like this!" Will said. "Nothing was wrong with her until you put those damned bracelets on !"

Nikola paused, not replying. Then it struck him that maybe Helen's irritating protege had a point. She'd only shown any sign of illness after they had put on the bracelets. In fact, the first time she'd fainted had been just after she had kissed him rather aggressively in the hall. He had asked her why she had all of a sudden decided to relent to his pestering and kiss him and she had said she could feel his happiness. Then just before she'd been brimming with happiness at finally admitting to being with him, and he'd also been ecstatic.

"Will, don't be a jerk," Kate said.

"Yeah, not cool, dude," Henry agreed.

"No...he's right," Nikola said, turning to look at Helen again. "It is my fault."

"What do you mean?" Kate said.

"The bracelets," he said, "Of course, I don't know how I didn't see it before." To be completely honest, the first time she'd fainted he'd been rather distracted by the previous activities, and had thought it was nothing serious. He hated himself for being so blinded by his own desires to worry about Helen, or the possible side-effects the bracelets might present. After all, they were vampiric technology, and, though Helen had a fair amount of the Source Blood in her body she was not a vampire.

"How could the bracelets be doing this?" Henry said, "You're fine."

"I'm a vampire," Nikola said, "The Source Blood has been enough to allow the bracelets to work on her, and for her to be fine. But... I think that when there are very heightened emotions coming through our connection from me it overwhelms her."

"What do you mean 'very heightened emotions'?" Kate narrowed her eyes at him.

"Really, do I have to spell everything out to you people?" Nikola said.

"Okay...but then what do we do about it?" Kate said.

"We figure out a way to get the bracelets off," Will said.

As much as Nikola hated to agree with him, he was right. But he wasn't prepared for how much the thought of losing Helen's mental-presence scared him. It was something that had been fun at first, novel, and a new way to enjoy teasing and pestering her. But they'd reached a new level of intimacy through it, one neither of them could have ever imagined, and now the thought of not having it was scary. But risking losing Helen was an even more petrifying thought.

|\\|\

**Props to chartreuseian, who totally got the explanation. Though there is a bit more of a twist (because I'm evil and dramatic like that, and I do love my plot twists). **


	15. Not So Private Emotion

**Yay. I've watched Chimera so many times. Helen and Nikola are just too damn awesome. **

**So, as always, thank you so much for your wonderful reviews. You guys make my day. Seriously. You guys rock. I refer you once again to my eternal cookie bi*** chartreuseian for virtual Tesla-stache cookie rewards. :P**

**So thanks to Fugue, this chapter also involves a healthy dose of Will bashing. Which I think I enjoy writing far too much. **

|\||\

"Why Helen insists on surrounding herself with such incompetent – and I do mean completely devoid of use – underlings I shall never understand," Nikola muttered, for what must have been the fourth time in the past ten minutes, under his breath. Will rolled his eyes and let out a huff, crossing his arms over his chest, at the vampire's antics.

Usually, he would have included a nice little stalk out of the room, however they were currently thousands of feet above any doorway where he could storm out. Nikola had taken one look at their notes and decidedly announced that they were going back to the temple where they had happened upon the bracelets – what had started this whole debacle – in order to help Helen. Will wasn't so convinced. How could the vampire know this after merely glancing at the notes when he himself had been pouring over them for days in an effort to free his boss? Besides, Tesla actually _enjoyed _being telepathically linked to Magnus. Will was suspicious as to his motives.

The vampire wouldn't even move away from Helen's unconscious form for any span longer than a few seconds in case she woke. That was absurd in itself considering that he was linked to her mind, but he still insisted. Not that there was much room to move about in the airplane cabin regardless. Not when both Kate and Henry had insisted on coming too. None of them wanted to leave Magnus.

"Yeah, we get the picture," Will snapped. "You don't like us, we don't like you. Can you please just hate us in silence?" Nikola scoffed.

"I have no problem with Helen's pet poodle over there or Booty," Nikola said, "Well, perhaps '_no _problem' is a stretch... but, in great personal sacrifice, for Helen's sake I am trying to put up with you all."

"Oh, how noble of you," Will said, accompanying his sarcastic words with another eye roll.

"You know, protege," Nikola snarled, "One would get the impression you don't want Helen to wake up with your antics."

"Me?" Will scoffed. "I'm not the one who encouraged her to put on the bracelets, then distracted her so much that she got sick from wearing them for too long apparently!"

_**Oh, shut up, do, **_a voice in Nikola's head said, _**I'm trying to get my beauty sleep.**_

Nikola sat upright with a start, eyes widening, and a tentative smile spreading across his face. Ignoring Will, he grasped Helen's hand from where she was laid out on the in-plane couch beside him.

_**You don't need it, ljubav, **_he said, and could feel the warmth of what they had both come to recognise as the equivalent of mental smiles.

_**Aren't you just the charmer? **_She teased.

"Is it Magnus?" Henry said, "Has she woken up?"

_**For you? Always, **_he sent. _**You know, I could always throw one of them out of the plane if you'd like them to be quiet...**_

_**Plane? **_She sent, in confusion.

Her eyes fluttered open and they darted about the cabin in confusion.

_**Slowly, ljubav, **_he sent, as she went to sit up.

_**Care to share with me why we're currently in a plane, and to what destination we are headed? **_She sent.

_**Perhaps if you say 'pretty please', **_he sent teasingly. He winced. _**Damn, I thought you may be too woozy to still mentally slap me. **_

_**For you? Always, **_she sent back saucily.

He grinned.

_**Not in the good way, Niko, **_she added in exasperation.

"Does someone want to share with the class?" Will said. Helen regarded her three employees hovering close by with concerned but relieved expressions.

"Helen is awake," Nikola snapped, "Though I would have thought that to be obvious by now. I underestimated your dull -,"

Nikola was cut off with a sharp mental poke from Helen.

_**You're violent when you first wake up, **_he whined mentally. She sent a mental nuzzle as an indulgent apology.

"I'm fine," Helen said, to her employees.

"I want to try something," Nikola said.

Nikola ensured that their mental link was open and strong before sifting through his recent memories to find the events of the past few hours. He focused on them and projecting them to Helen's mind. He had been wondering if that would work with their telepathy. After all, they had managed to send mental images of fantasies previously. Why not memories?

"Ah..." Helen said, in understanding.

_**I really should have realised something was more gravely wrong the first time, **_she sent, a bit ashamed she'd allowed herself to be so swept up with Nikola and their telepathic communication that she had overlooked her physical symptoms.

_**I can't help it I'm so blindingly attractive that you couldn't bear to think of anything else, **_Nikola sent.

_**Not allowing me to have a moments peace with your barrage of mental pestering more like, **_Helen sent, amusedly.

_**You love my mental pestering, **_he responded, with a wink.

"Uh...those of us who can't hear mental conversations raise your hand," Henry said, raising his hand.

Helen smiled apologetically to the young HAP.

"Sorry, Henry," she said, "Nikola was just filling me in on the events since I collapsed. I'll add that I agree with his assessment of the situation, and his decision to return to the temple." She gave a pointed look to Will. "I believe it is the best place to figure out exactly what needs to be done. Perhaps we missed something when we were there before."

Helen could have hit Nikola for the triumphant smirk he was sporting in Will's direction had she not wanted to kiss him so badly in that moment. As if he sensed her desire – and he probably had – Nikola turned to her with that irresistible smirk.

_**I believe you owed me a public kiss, **_he sent, _**and don't think that collapsing gets you out of it.**_

_**You really are painfully incorrigible, **_Helen sent.

_**But you love that too, **_he countered.

_**Yes, I suppose I do, **_she said with a small smile. _**Alright then, come, claim your prize, Mr Tesla.**_

Helen almost laughed out loud at the thousand-watt smile that lit up Nikola's face in the most enthralling way. She loved it when he smiled like that. It was so genuine, so boyish, and so utterly heart-melting that she never quite could control her emotions.

Nikola leaned in toward her, tentatively closing the gap between their faces. She was still sitting on the couch, him kneeling beside it with his hand still grasping hers. Despite her assurances, and permission, he was still unsure. It was as though he thought she might pull away and slap him at any given moment. She could feel the self-doubt swirling about his mind and so decided to chase his qualms away by leaning over and crashing their lips together. Her free arm finding its way to his cheek to reassure him as she was sure Will, Kate and Henry were gaping at the open display of affection.

Nikola's hand released her other one and found its way to her waist, pulling her ever closer as his tongue found its way into her mouth. God, kissing him felt so good she'd hardly noticed. Nor did she really notice as she moaned out loud, prompting a responsive growl from Nikola.

Why she'd ever fought being kissed by him was suddenly beyond her. She'd only allowed him this close in the past few days and already she was hooked. She was addicted to the taste of his lips, and the way those hands felt running over her skin... She had to pull her mind out of the gutter right now, lest they have a re-enactment of last night and the activity that had rendered a vampire annulment impossible.

They drew back when oxygen, which she had also quite forgotten about, became essential, their foreheads still pressed together.

_**Was that enough of a public display for your liking? **_She sent.

_**Me? **_He all-but mentally chuckled, _**I was getting some pretty dirty thoughts from you just now...**_

A cough broke them out of their rapture, and their heads turned to see her employees standing awkwardly.

"Please tell me you're not flirting in your heads right now," Henry said.

Helen just grinned.

"Sorry, Henry, I'd rather not lie to you," Helen said.

Henry looked like he was seriously considering taking his chances with jumping out of the plane about now. Helen felt sorry for the poor boy, but teasing him was just too easy. Maybe she really had been mentally connected to Nikola for too long. Nikola's smirk wasn't even bothering her. In fact, it was making her want to lean in and kiss him again.

"You guys are..." Kate said, unable to finish the sentence, but throwing her hands up in a mixture of exasperation and amusement.

"How much more do we have left of our journey?" Helen inquired.

"An hour or so, I'd say," Nikola replied.

"Wonderful," Helen said with a grin.

She shifted to the further edge of the couch, patting the spot next to her, and Nikola eagerly claimed the offered seat. There wasn't much room as it was not a particularly large couch, so their sides were pressed together rather nicely. Nikola wrapped his arm around Helen and she snuggled into his side contentedly, sending him a mental nuzzle as she did so. He chuckled.

Will flopped with a huff onto a remaining chair. Kate and Henry returned to their seats, Henry muttering about getting the 'love birds' out of his line of sight.

Not even Will's glower of disapproval was enough to force the smile from either of their faces as the plane journey continued.

_**You're the best wife ever, **_Nikola sent, absently stroking lazy circles on her arm.

_**Do you have many wives hidden away that you're not telling me about, then? **_She teased.

_**And risk being at the receiving end of your wrath? No thank you, **_Nikola sent.

Helen laughed.

_**Well, as far as husbands go, you've been a pretty satisfactory one thus far, **_Helen sent.

_**Only 'pretty satisfactory'? **_Nikola sent.

Helen smirked but remained silent.

_**Helen? **_He tried again. _**What do you mean to imply by that? **_

She laughed.

_**Oh, Nikola, you're far too easy to tease, **_she said, putting him out of his misery.

_**So, what's your real assessment then? **_He sent.

_**Oh no, I am not stroking your ego by telling you that, **_she smirked.

He remained silent for a beat, revelling in the implied compliment there.

_**Care to stroke something else? **_He sent.


	16. Glowing Pillars Are Never Good

**I'm beginning to sound like a broken record, but I really do appreciate, and indeed cherish, your reviews on an unhealthy level. I love you all, whether you want said love or not. **

\||\|

_**Whatever happened to you stroking something else? **_Nikola mused, as they descended to the tarmac.

_**I said I'd kiss you in front of the others, Nikola, I don't think I'm quite ready to give them that kind of a show, **_she sent absently.

_**Yet? **_he sent amusedly.

_**You know what I meant, **_she sent in response. In truth, being held in Nikola's arms was doing all sorts of things to her head. She didn't want to think. He was so warm and it felt so damn right, so familiar, just like all those years ago at Oxford. She wondered briefly why she'd ever thought to extricate herself from them, from him. She wondered at how they could both be so incredibly stupid to waste a hundred years when they were supposedly a set of geniuses.

_**I do apologise, ljubav, but I think you shall have to spell it out for me, **_he sent, _**English is not my first language after all.**_

She scoffed.

_**Oh, of course not, **_she sent, _**you've only been speaking it for over a hundred years, how utterly insulting of me to assume. **_

Helen shook her head as the others started to gather their belongings, ready to exit the plane. Now she was faced with a dilemma. She had to leave Nikola's embrace. s

Nikola laughed and she shot him a look.

_**I can tell what you're thinking, ljubav, **_he sent in amusement. _**Not to mention that utterly heart-wrenchingly, if rather transparent, adorable pout that has taken up residence on your face. **_

_**You're so...**_she sent.

He chuckled when she couldn't even finish the thought.

_**Hitting me involves leaving my arms, **_he sent teasingly.

_**That sounds like a challenge to me, Niko, **_she responded with a small grin.

_**Kinky, Helen, **_he sent, _**but I thought you didn't want to give the children that kind of show...yet.**_

She shook her head and, with a regretful sigh, wormed out of his embrace. It was more easily said than done with Nikola's considerable efforts in keeping her cocooned in his arms.

"Are you two done with your post-plane ride mental flirting?" Kate said, all three standing by the plane door.

Helen almost started, having forgotten – not for the first time – that she and Nikola were not alone. She really had to be more careful with that. She could always blame him though. He did have the uncanny knack at driving her to distraction, even if it was a welcome one.

"Come on," Helen said, to Nikola. _**The sooner we get there the sooner we can figure this out... and the sooner I can stroke something else.**_

_**Minx, **_he grumbled as he stood, watching her flounce pointedly off towards her employees.

Yet he found that Helen's rather tantalizing little promise made his legs work a lot faster in speeding him towards the exiting group.

\|\\|

_**Don't even say 'you, me, dark narrow corridors,' **_Helen sent. Nikola smirked.

They were walking through the caves down towards their temple, or as Nikola was insistently and pointedly calling it, their marriage chapel. He was doing it to annoy Will more than anything, Helen suspected. It was working too. Many of Nikola's irritant plans did, to her great annoyance.

_**I have no need to, you said it for me, **_he sent back. _**Aren't our minds so wonderfully synchronised? **_

_**Nikola! Stop shining your flashlight at my behind, **_Helen sent, shooting a filthy look over her shoulder at the grinning vampire. _**You're supposed to be shining it ahead. You know, for that little thing we in the business like to call 'visibility'. Not completely essential, but preferable all the same. **_

_**But I am in a position to get the most tantalising view of that delightful derriere of yours, **_he sent. _**Which is all your doing, by the way, you did insist on standing between me and your children. I suspect you want me to watch your derriere. **_

_**Keep your mind out of the gutter, Nikola, or you won't be in any position to get anywhere near me, **_she sent with a small huff.

In their mental bickering neither one had noticed that the other three had stopped, and almost ran comically into their backs. Helen shot an apologetic look towards them and Henry just rolled his eyes looking between Magnus and Tesla with a knowing exasperation.

"Aw, look Helen," Nikola said, "It's that 'dead end', as the children called it last time. Just think, if we'd listened to their advice and accepted their crude and ignorant assessment we would never be married."

"Yes, and just think, I would never have an annoying voice constantly leering at me in my mind either," Helen bit back teasingly.

"Okay, I know I said that your mental flirting was annoying before," Henry said, "But I've changed my mind. This is grosser."

"I believe this is how we managed to open the door last time," Helen said, trying to steer them back on topic. She ran her finger over the hair-line crack in the centre of the wall and stepped back, watching as it opened with that familiar grating noise.

"Aw, look," Nikola said, pointing his flashlight into the small tunnel before the chamber, "It's our tunnel."

"Nikola, are you going to attach sentimentality to every feature of these caves?" Helen said, somewhat amused, "Because I'd much rather skip that portion of the tour."

"And people say the woman is supposed to be the romantic one," Nikola shook his head in mock disapproval. "Look on the bright side, at least my flashlight is shining ahead and not _behind._" He punctuated the statement with a toothy grin and Helen laughed fondly. He was really too much sometimes.

"Shall we, then?" she said, nodding into the tunnel.

"Of course," he grinned.

The pair set off together down the tunnel, the other three sharing an exasperated look before following their boss and the wayward vampire.

"Sure beats Vegas," Nikola smirked as he and Helen entered the large chamber.

"I'm sure if you search thoroughly enough," she said, "You could find something similar in the City of Sin."

"Spoil sport," Nikola pouted.

"Look, the pillars," Helen said, setting off toward them.

"Yes, let's all run up to the _creepy glowing _pillars _again_," Henry said.

"What more harm could they possibly do?" Helen said.

_**I could take offence to that, **_Nikola sent.

_**I meant my physical reaction, Nikola, not out connection or our marriage, **_she sent soothingly. She could feel that warm sensation and she knew he was smiling, but didn't realise why until she thought about her casual statement. The phrase 'our marriage' had just slipped out as naturally as anything. She hadn't even thought about it. She smiled in return. _**For better or for worse, Niko.**_

She could feel his happiness tingling through her own body as she climbed up onto the raised platform. Thankfully, she wasn't feeling dizzy or faint at the moment. She crouched in front of one of the pillars to try and make out the inscription.

"Ah," she let out a small yelp and stumbled back a bit as her bracelet flashed, emitting a sharp buzzing sound. "That's new."

She looked over to Nikola. His bracelet was fine.

"Everyone else saw that, right?" Henry said.

"Yes, Hank, we all saw the Doc's bracelet go all whiny," Kate said.

"Just checking," Henry said.

Helen looked down at her wrist curiously. The shrill sound had stopped but it was still glowing dimly.

"Interesting," Nikola said. "I wonder..."

He climbed up on the platform beside Helen and stepped toward her and the pillar. His bracelet did nothing, remaining blissfully silent.

"I think the pillar likes her more," Henry said. Kate snorted.

Nikola regarded Henry scathingly.

"Patience, Tiny Tim, I haven't finished conducting my experiment yet," he said.

"Experiment?" Henry said, "Dude, you're playing with glowing pillars and bracelets."

"Tell the children to be quiet, Helen," Nikola said, "Or someone is taking a turn in the silent corner."

Nikola then took a step toward the other pillar, mirroring the way Helen had been behind hers when her bracelet had sprung to life, and sure enough his bracelet mirrored hers too. A matching shrill buzz filled the large chamber as his bracelet hummed to life and began to glow.

"Cool," Henry said.

Nikola was looking at his wrist with interest and a childlike look of wonder on his face. The scientists in both he and Helen were captivated by the wonder of the ancient vampire technology. They were both so excited by the prospect that neither could tell where they own excitement ended and the other person's began through their telepathic link. A mass of shared ideas and possibilities swirled through their minds rapidly in a jumbled mess.

Suddenly, both Helen and Nikola gasped and covered their ears with their hands, matching grimaces on their faces as their ears were accosted with a shrill buzzing much more intense than before. It was so loud and insistent and unrelenting.

"What are they doing?" Henry said, watching in confusion. Magnus and Tesla had just seemingly out of the blue clapped their hands over their ears and looked like they were in pain.

"I have no idea," Will said, "Magnus! Magnus, can you hear me? What's going on?"

"Bloody hell!" Magnus shouted.

Nikola swore loudly too in an unfamiliar tongue, what Will assumed must be Serbian.

"What's happening to them?" Henry looked panicked now.

"He...Helen," Nikola gasped.

Nikola let out a loud growl before slumped to the ground and Helen a shriek. They'd both collapsed in perfect unison and seemed to be out stone cold.

Will rushed up to the platform to check their pulses. Slow, strong, rhythmic. They were alright for the moment, but for how long he had no clue.

**I really must stop making people faint. At least I included Nikola in the fainting party this time. **


	17. Dreaming Reality

**Hey my fellow Teslenites (well at least I hope you are...not sure what you're doing still reading this if you don't at least approve of Helen/Nikola. If not, I'm terribly sorry to make assumptions. How very rude of me). **

**Behold, another chapter of Telepathic! Sorry it took so long... I've been working a lot lately because of the Christmas rush and all *sigh* us students have got to eat right? **

**Anyway, belated Merry Christmas to all! And a thank you for the continued wonderful reviews. You guys make my life. **

**SO SOON TILL WE LEARN HELEN'S SECRET IN SFN2! AND...HELEN IS SO NIKOLA'S WHITE DOVE. **

**This chapter is dedicated to my friend Oscar who needs cheering up. :) **

||\\|

The first thing that Helen noted was a feeling of almost unbearable lightness. It was as if the whole weight of her person had been stripped away, and she was floating untethered through space. The unpleasantness of the unfamiliar and altogether rather bizarre situation was dulled somewhat as she became more aware, or conscious, or whatever the hell was going on. She wasn't anywhere near sure at this point.

The second thing she noticed was feeling – or rather sensing – Nikola's mental presence. It wasn't the same as their telepathic link, though it was frighteningly more invasive. It was as if he was surrounding her, he was everywhere. The truly frightening part of it was, though, that she couldn't bring herself to be bothered by it. She rather enjoyed it in fact. To have him so near was a greater comfort than she could comprehend.

"Nikola?" she wasn't speaking, at least not physically, she thought. All she could see around her was darkness. She had attempted to send him a mental-message, but was confused when it came out as spoken, or at least that's what she thought had occurred.

"Helen?" came his response.

She could feel his concern diminish somewhat when she'd spoken, and was rather touched by it.

Almost as if on some sort of eerie cue, and perhaps it was, their surroundings swirled into focus. Nikola was standing beside her, close enough for her to reach out and grasp his hand, but the distance between them still seemed far too great for her liking. Nikola chuckled softly and stepped toward her, threading his fingers through hers. She smiled meekly, embarrassed to have been caught lamenting at the pitiful distance as though it were a great chasm. She usually left the melodrama to him.

Now that the imminent problem of Nikola being much too far away, she took in their current location. They were in another chamber, this one significantly smaller in size than the one they'd been in previously. But it had similar aesthetic construct, leading her to believe that it was in the same network of caves, or at least built by the same people. Or part of them was at the very least, for Helen was fairly sure the last thing that had happened was that they had passed out in the other chamber.

"We're..." Nikola said. "Not real?"

"I think we are real," Helen said. "We're just..."

"Physical manifests of our consciousnesses?" he tried. "Unless we are real, and were somehow transported from the room we were in to this one..."

"It feels different," she pointed out, sure he would be feeling the same weightless and flighty sensation she was.

"We could be dreaming," he offered.

"Yes, Nikola," she responded with sarcasm, "The both of us are engaging in a shared dream, in which we're standing bickering in an unfamiliar underground chamber."

"Alright, no need to be snarky, ljubav," he smirked, "It isn't outside of the realms of possibility that we should share dreams though, with the telepathic link."

The thought honestly hadn't occurred to her, but it intrigued her to no end now that he had brought it up. Nikola recognised the spark in her eyes, that one where she was on a quest for new knowledge, a veritable warpath.

"Helen," he said. "Later."

She grinned, winking at him saucily.

"Oh, I fully intend to explore the possibility of shared dreams and _fantasies,_ Nikola," she said. His smile widened at the promise of her words. Shared dreams could really prove to be quite a fascinating concept, and what a delicious exercise it would make.

"If we're our consciousnesses," Nikola said, "Why do we look like us?"

"And what, pray tell, should we look like?" Helen said, with a hint of exasperation in her tone.

"I don't know," he shrugged. "I just expected it to be... less normal."

"Oh, Nikola, nothing with you is _ever _normal," Helen said. "Perhaps we take on the forms we're more comfortable with?"

"You look hot when you're brainy in consciousness form, Helen," he grinned.

"Really, Nikola, _really_?" she said.

"I always was attracted to your mind," he continued.

"Is it your intention to kill me with your cheesy lines?" she queried teasingly.

"Ever wondered what it would be like to have brain-sex?" he said, accompanied the statement by a lewd grin.

"Yes, Nikola, that's what I'm really doing in my office," Helen responded sarcastically, "I'm merely pretending to work whilst really thinking about brain-sex."

"I always suspected you were dirty, Helen," he grinned. She could only roll her eyes because, really, he was utterly incorrigible.

"Nikola, as hard as I know it is for you," she said, "Do you think you could possibly drag yourself out of the gutter long enough for us to figure out where we are and what we are doing here?"

"Hypocrite," Nikola smirked, "I happen to _know _your mind frequents the very same gutter as mine." She flashed him a smile but refused to engage. They really needed to find out where they were, and how they could get back.

"The others will be worried," she said.

"About you perhaps," Nikola pouted.

"Isn't that lucky for you I collapsed with you then?" she smirked.

Nikola pouted once more as she took a closer look at the chamber. She really shouldn't let herself be so distracted by Nikola. But, quite honestly, it was hard not to be.

"Look," she tugged on the hand that was still entwined with his.

She was gesturing to a pillar that looked almost identical to the two they'd discovered in the other chamber. Only, this one was a fraction larger in size and it wasn't glowing. Helen made to move towards it, but Nikola halted her with their joined hands. She frowned back at him questioningly.

"Helen," he said, with a seriousness she'd noticed only occurred when he was worried for her, "Do you really think that wise? We don't exactly have a good track record with these things..."

"Nikola, the chamber doesn't appear to have any visible exits," she said, "Nothing else is happening. I think our only viable option is the pillar. Its counterpart is the cause of our being here after all."

He couldn't damn her and her logic. But he didn't have to like it. If there was one thing Nikola Tesla was good at doing in less than agreeable situations, it was making his grievances hear loud and clear.

"Niko, please," Helen said. He'd briefly forgotten she could pretty much read his mind. Well, at least his grievances had been heard, even if a somewhat unconventional manner.

Helen rolled her eyes and tugged him to the pillar. She still seemed reluctant to break the physical – well, he still wasn't sure they _were _physical beings right now – contact between them. He couldn't help but smile at that.

As soon as they came within a few feet of the pillar, it illumination with a light green glow.

"You have to admire the efficiency of the technology," Nikola said.

Both of them jumped when they heard the unpleasant sound of stone grinding against stone. Behind the pillar, a doorway had opened up in the chamber. Their mouths dropped open. There hadn't even been a crack in the wall indicating a hidden doorway.

"And admire the architecture..." Nikola said.

"You two took your time getting here, the bracelets were activated days ago."

"Bloody hell!" Helen exclaimed. Nikola was loathe to admit he'd jumped a little at the unexpected male voice too. Though he did enjoy the way Helen leant into him as an instinctive response to the shock.

A man walked into view through the passageway, standing behind the pillar, with a smile on his face. He was fairly tall, taller than the both of them and neither of them was short by any measure, and slender with long, lithe limbs. It gave him a slightly spindly look, all of his limbs seeming a tad too long. He had a shock of grey hair and merry looking grey eyes to match.

"Helen, you see the strange man smiling at us too...right?" Nikola asked, wondering if he'd finally lost it as so many thought he had in the latter years of his life before his 'death' in 1943.

"I'm afraid I do," she replied.

The man's smile fell and a frown replaced it on his face. He tapped his long fingers on the top of the pillar a few times thoughtfully.

"You don't know who I am?" he said.

"Should we?" Helen queried, cutting Nikola off before he could make a much more unsavoury comment. She preferred a much more delicate approach in situations such as these.

A flicker of confusion and sadness flashed in his eyes. They widened somewhat, reminding Helen somewhat of Henry's 'puppy dog' looks.

"I'm terribly sorry," she quickly said, "But we honestly have no idea why we're here, or who you are."

"Not to rain on your weird parade or anything," Nikola added for good measure. Helen let out a little exasperated sigh. He couldn't help himself sometimes.

The man did seem genuinely surprised they didn't know what was doing on though, and so didn't appear to pose any imminent danger.

"This...this is to do with the bracelets?" she surmised.

"Yes, of course," the man said. He seemed torn, the indecision and thoughtfulness playing out in his twisting lips and raised brows. "They're why you're here. Why else would you put them on?"

Helen shot Nikola a sideways glance which he innocently pretended not to see.

"Well, I have the feeling we're about to find out either way," Nikola shrugged.

Helen made a mental note to shoot Nikola the next time he suggested they put on unidentified pieces of jewellery hidden in caves.


	18. Sometimes, Glowing Pillars Aren't So Bad

**Firstly, thank you a thousand times over to everyone who has been reviewing. I know I say this every chapter, but you guys really are amazing and you all make my day with every review alert I see. :) **

**Secondly, still squeeing for SFN. **

**Thirdly, I'd like to take a moment to draw your attention, if you're not already aware, to 'Fanfic4Kids', an initiative of chartreuseian, Emmy1512 and LoveActuallyFan. I am in awe of you girls, what you're doing is great! Everyone go look up info on their profiles and be sure to participate with reviews to raise money for S4kids. **

\||\\

She edged closer to Nikola, feeling comfort in the gesture as empty as it was considering their current state of physical form. The strange man seemed rather crestfallen at their confusion, as though it were some personal attack.

"It's been so long too," he said.

"What a creep," Nikola breathed in her ear, to which she promptly elbowed him.

"Be nice, Nikola," she hissed, "I imagine it get's lonely living in an imaginary world." She added.

"That's a thought," Nikola murmured, "So if he's not real, why should I have to be nice to him? It's not like I'd really be hurting anyone's feelings."

She resisted the urge to roll her eyes, mainly due to the fact she had no counter argument to what Nikola had said.

"I am still here," the man pointed out, jovially. He'd seemed to have recovered from his momentary depression.

"Ah, right," Helen said, clearing her throat, "Forgive us, but we really have no clue what we're doing here."

"Or where here is for that matter," Nikola inputted.

"You did put on the bracelets," the man's grey eyes narrowed for a split second as he eyed the pair.

"Well, mysterious artefacts atop glowing pillars isn't a good place to keep things safe from curious minds," Nikola retorted.

"No, no," the man said, "You misunderstood." Nikola bristled at the man. He was Nikola Tesla, he didn't simply _misunderstand._ Helen chuckled softly beside him, obviously feeling his annoyance. He shot her a look but she continued to smirk innocently.

"Yes, Nikola, dear," she teased, "Please, pay more attention to the nice man."

He nudged her mentally, playfully, which only caused her to smirk more. The man's smile turned wolfish upon witnessing the exchange between the lightly bickering pair.

"You've mastered the telepathy well enough," he said. Helen's eyes widened.

"You can..." she began, gesturing with her hands but not really sure how to articulate his knowledge on their mental exchanges.

"Oh, of course," he said, "We are, simply put, within your minds after all. What occurs here I can see."

"Well, that rules out the brain-sex then," Nikola muttered to her. "Unless you're up for an audience, ljubav. You were feeling quite frisky on the plane with the children after all -,"

"Ahem," the man coughed.

Their eyes returned to him, both of them having forgotten him presence once again. Helen mentally chided herself. They really had to stop doing that when in the company of others. It couldn't be healthy.

"You said we were within our minds?" she said.

"In a way, yes," the man replied. "But you see, I am quite baffled at the two of you."

"Oh you would most definitely not be the first to make that assertion," Nikola said.

"What do you mean?" Helen asked, ignoring Nikola. Considering he was in her, or she was in his, or perhaps both... that was quite a feat.

"What I meant before," he said, fixing an amused and pointed look at Nikola, "Before your lover got so offended."

Helen shot a smirk in Nikola's direction.

"Yes, I can feel your smugness, ljubav, no need to make a point of it," Nikola pouted.

"Is that your presence here confuses me, what with you not knowing why," he said, "It is quite unusual. Quite unusual indeed." He frowned thoughtfully. "The bracelets shouldn't have worked. The very mechanism which fuels their purpose is the desire for them to fulfil said purpose."

"Which would be?" Nikola drawled.

"Of course," Helen said, eyes widening, "That's the reason that, no matter what procedure we undertook, we could not succeed in removing them. It was our subconscious minds that caused them to work."

She really hated that she'd come to that conclusion. Nikola was grinning the most insufferable smile.

"Oh no," she said, shaking her head.

"Your subconscious mind _desired_ a telepathic link to me, darling," he said.

"I am never going to hear the end of this, am I?" she said.

"Nor would you want to," he said teasingly, "Not when your subconscious craves me so much."

"You seem to be forgetting I can still hit you in my mind," she pointed out.

"You seem to be forgetting how much you love me there," he smirked.

"Once again," the man interrupted, "I am still present."

Once again Helen blanched at her ability to forget about everything going on around them when she and Nikola got going, even when said goings on were within their minds.

"So, let me get this straight," Helen said, her practical side needing to understand and the curious scientist in her stirring. She could feel Nikola's curiosity on fire as well. "The bracelets only work when two people put them on with the intention of them working?"

"Yes," the man said, happily, "Or, in your case, your subconscious wanting them to work."

"Work at what, exactly?" Nikola said. Both he and Helen could feel their shared excitement at the new knowledge about this ancient artefact thrumming through their beings. God, feeling her excitement mingled with his was making him feel giddy.

"Mating," the man said. He had his hands clasped behind his back and was speaking so casually, it was hard to take him seriously, and yet his words held an authoritative weight.

"Save it," Helen said to Nikola with an amused smirk, sensing the oncoming lewd remark. He grinned at her.

"We, along with our colleagues," Helen said.

"Well, I wouldn't exactly call them colleagues," Nikola interjected with a disgusted look, "More like unruly children." He could feel Helen's annoyed gaze and a sharp mental poke, so he grinned sheepishly at her. "But let's not dwell on details, do continue, ljubav."

"We discovered as much," Helen said, "We interpreted the carvings to mean that we'd entered into some sort of vampiric marriage ceremony."

"That's because you had," the man supplied, "Only it wasn't completed."

"And I ruined your honour by having a preview of our honeymoon before we were fully married?" Nikola said, pretending to be aghast, "I'm appalled."

"I don't quite understand," Helen said. "This is part of the...ceremony?" She gestured around them.

"Vampires taking mates was a rare enough occurrence in itself," the man explained.

"Yes, considering their lengthy lifelines that's completely understandable," Helen said. The man nodded.

"Teacher's pet," Nikola teased, as he mentally nuzzled her affectionately.

"Children, please, control yourselves," the man said.

Both Helen and Nikola stopped abruptly and looked at him wide-eyed. Helen felt amusement course through her at being called the same title that Nikola used so often with her own employees. She glanced over at Nikola with a small grin. Nikola could feel the laughter within her and frowned at her sharply. It didn't lessen her amusement, if anything it only served to fuel it.

"Oh be quiet," he breathed against her ear. Her mental manifestation of her physical form was pressed against him now, his hands resting on her hips. She wasn't sure quite when she'd done that during the conversation, but it felt comfortable, it felt right.

"As I was saying," the man continued, a hint of exasperation in his tone, "A vampire committing themselves to another was a serious undertaking, not something to be taken lightly. The bracelets formed part of the bonding ceremony between two mated vampires."

"I think I see," Helen said, "Since the bracelets will only work if each of the two parties desires it, _truly _desires it, the process would eliminate any not ready or fully committed to a mating."

She really had to stop making these assertions, feeling Nikola's smugness like a blanket over her senses with such frequency wasn't good for her.

"She's quick," the man said, nodding.

"Don't I know it," Nikola grumbled.

"That also explains the information that indicates mated vampires were able to communicate in a method akin to telepathy," Helen said, remembering the scrolls her father had amassed in the nineteenth century.

Nikola's happiness at the knowledge of their shared subconscious desire rolled over them both, intermingled once again with her own happiness. But then she felt his concern and nudged him mentally, inquisitively.

"Helen," Nikola said, referring to her as he addressed the man, "She collapsed. In the few days after we put on the bracelets."

"If you'd come here it begin with and completed the ceremony that wouldn't have happened," the man said in exasperation. "Honestly, you two are a handful, aren't you?"

Nikola smirked. Was this man related to James somehow?

"Because she's not a vampire," Nikola guessed. Helen could feel Nikola's mental presence bristled protectively around her own. She was comforted and warmed by it at the same time, feeling so very safe with her mind cocooned with his.

"Excellent deduction," the man said. Nikola glowered. "Though I am detecting traces of vampiric blood in her, which is why the bracelets still worked."

"If you're some sort of officiator of this ceremony, should you really be being sarcastic?" he said.

"If the pair of you would stop canoodling over there so we could get started," the man responded. Helen suppressed a laugh, Nikola shooting her a look as he felt her doing so.

"Nikola, stop arguing with the officiator," she said.

"Promise to make it up to me later?" he said, waggling his brows, and sending her a mental image of him pinning her to the bed. She cleared her throat and shuffled in her position, feeling a wave of arousal wash over her.

"Oh, for the love of blood," the man said. "You." He pointed to Helen, causing her to jump and snap out of her Nikola-induced haze, "Stand here."

He pointed to one side of the pillar, of which they were now very familiar with. Helen forced her mind out of the gutter, feeling Nikola's smirk as she had to do so, and went to stand on the side of the pillar the man had indicated.

She instantly missed being so close to Nikola, which she knew was childish since their minds were still completely intertwined. But there had just been something about feeling their physical manifestations so close that had made her feel so safe and warm. She didn't need to look at Nikola to know he was feeling the same thing. He nuzzled her mentally again and she returned the nuzzle affectionately, biting her lip when their officiator rolled his eyes.

"You," he pointed at Nikola, "Here, this side."

Nikola went to stand on the other side of the pillar as instructed, instantly seeking out Helen's hand as he took his place, much to the amusement of their officiator.

"I'm beginning to see how the bracelets worked subconsciously for the two of you," he mused.

He placed his hand atop the pillar without further delay, or perhaps he was just worried if he gave Helen and Nikola a moment they would become distracted with each other again. The pillar began to glow more violently than before, almost blindingly for a split second, and hummed a low buzzing noise. He began speaking, his voice lower than before, his words in the vampiric language they'd become so adept at reading on temple walls.

It sounded beautiful spoken by someone who was obviously a native speaker of the tongue. There was something so rich, so piercing, about it as his words washed over both their consciousnesses.

His speech came to an end as abruptly as he'd begun, and he reached out to grasp one of their hands with each of his. The wrists of which, in the real world, sported the bracelets. Drawing them closer together over the top of the pillar, the object became to glow menacingly again, the humming noise becoming louder and louder until both Helen and Nikola could feel it booming in their minds.

Helen let out a small shriek, reaching out with her mind as the blinding light of the pillar blocked any sight, she tried to feel Nikola's mind with hers but everything grew dim.

\|\\|

"Guys!" Henry yelled, jumping to his feet suddenly.

They'd been canvassing the cavern in the attempt to find something, anything, that could help the Doc and Tesla. Or, at the very least, explain what was happening. Will had assured them that their pulses were both fine, as were their bodies as far as he could tell, yet they had remained unconscious for almost an hour.

Kate and Will, standing looking at the walls on the other side of the cavern, rushed over to where Henry stood upon hearing his exclamation. They turned their attention to the platform where Tesla and Magnus had remained still, until now that is.

Both Magnus and Tesla, in eerie synchronisation, rose to their feet.

"Magnus!" Will said, in relief, but frowned when she didn't respond.

"Boss?" Kate tried. "Hey! Doc, Vlad!" She waved furiously in front of them but neither was responsive.

Their eyes were still closed, as though they were sleep-walking. They both moved to their respective pillars, raising their hands – the ones with the bracelets – and holding them above.

"They're still unconscious," Will said, watching with wide-eyes.

"What the hell?" Kate said. Henry gulped.

"They've been turned into zombies!" he said.

"Hank," Kate said. He looked sheepish when she fixed in with an incredulous look, one brow quirked upwards.

"Okay, maybe not," Henry said, "But if they start wanting to eat brains don't say I didn't try to warn you."

"Look, their bracelets," Will said, interrupting the bickering duo to nod to the bracelets. They had begun to glow.

"I knew coming back here was a bad idea," Henry said. His eyes remained transfixed on Magnus's unconscious form with concern.

Suddenly, the cavern was filled with a shrill noise. They all covered their ears with their hands, wincing at the harsh high-pitched sound. The glowing of the bracelets ceased along with the sound mere seconds later, and for a tense heart-beat, nothing happened. Then they heard a gasp.

Magnus stumbled back, her eyes flying open, as she gasped. Tesla too had now opened his eyes, his arms darting out to the pillar for support. Both pillars had stopped to emit the eerie glow now.

"Helen," he said, quickly, eyes darting out in search of her.

She stumbled over to him, arm out. He caught her reflexively and wrapped his arms around her. It took them a moment to get their bearings, and the others could do nothing but watch in confusion.

"Doc, you're okay!" Henry was the first to recover. He was grinning now that he could see that Magnus was neither a zombie nor brain-dead.

"Henry," Helen breathed, eyes now falling to her three employees, "Will, Kate."

"Hey, Doc," Kate said. "Good to see you awake."

Will noticed that she hadn't left Nikola's arms.

"What the hell happened, Magnus?" he said.

Helen and Nikola exchanged a smile.

"I wonder..." Nikola said, releasing Helen, though she still stood with her back pressed against him.

Nikola fiddled with the bracelet, undoing it easily with a triumphant smile.

"See, kiddies, that is how the real professionals do it," he smirked, putting the bracelet atop the pillar.

Helen turned her attention to her own band, and removed it easily with a satisfied smile and took a few steps to place it on its own altar.

"So...you're all good now?" Henry said.

Helen turned to look at Nikola, a smile on her face.

"Oh that very much depends on your definition of 'all good'," Nikola smirked.

"What do you mean by that?" Henry frowned, "Doc, what does he mean by that?"

_**Oh, Nikola, must you torture them so? **_She sent, with fond exasperation.

_**You know me, ljubav, **_he replied with a mental-smile, _**Of course I must. **_

"Oh no," Kate said, "No, no, no." Helen smiled.

"What? What's going on?" Henry said.

"They're doing that...thing...again," Kate said, looking between Helen and Nikola. "The thing they did with the mental communication."

"But you just took the bracelets off," Will said.

"Well, here's the thing, Huggybear," Nikola said, "When a mommy vampire and daddy vampire love each other very much – and on a deep subconscious level where their desires are -," he was cut off by a sharp mental prod from Helen.

_**I'm beginning to hate that you figured out how to do that, **_he pouted mentally.

_**Oh you love it, **_she retorted.

"What Nikola is trying to say," she amended out loud, "Is when vampires were bonded in -,"

"Long story short," Nikola said loudly, cutting her off, "When vampires get hitched they get telepathic communication."

Kate and Henry exchanged a look. Magnus and Tesla with a more permanent telepathic bond? Oh God, this could not bode well for their mental health.

\||\\

**Fear not, this is not the end. Still have some loose ends, and some more torturing of the children. I really shouldn't phrase things like that... it seems rather dubious when I say it like that. Regardless, do you really think I'd leave it there when Nikola has the opportunity to rub this in their collective faces? With me being the lovely person I am and facilitating that... **


	19. Part II

**Hey all! **

**So, let us bequeath this segment with the title 'Part II' from here-on in. Or, better still, 'Part II: Shenanigans'. Or even better still 'Part II: Shenanigans in which Helen and Nikola get randy and frequently scar the children'. Well, perhaps I'm getting a little carried away...**

**Anyway... Thank you all so so so so so much for your more-awesome-than-awesome reviews! You're all WONDERFUL and I love you all. **

\||\\

_**Not the brightest of bulbs are they? **_Nikola mused in her mind.

_**I hardly think they're having difficulty grasping the concept, Nikola, **_she responded.

_**Then they're doing an awfully good job at impersonating it, **_he smirked.

"Magnus, please tell me this is a joke," Will said.

Nikola's grin turned wolfish once more and he took a few deceptively casual paces toward Will. It was a predatory look on his face, one that Helen knew all too well.

_**Nikola, **_she sent out a mental warning.

"A joke?" he said, ignoring her mental-warning. "Do you really think that Helen would stoop to such practices, Huggybear?"

"Ni-ko-la," she drew out his name, out loud, with that look in her eye that left no room for argument – it didn't even leave enough room for a pointedly raised eyebrow.

He pouted momentarily but then turned on his heel, stalking back towards his wife. He grinned at the thought and felt Helen's exasperation within his mind. Said exasperation did not prevent her from pecking him affectionately on the lips when he returned to her side, however.

"So you two are going to be all up in each other's grills _literally _all the time now?" Kate said. "There is such a thing as too much intimacy you know." She eyed her boss cautiously. As patient as the good doctor was with the not-so-good vampire, there still must be some sort of threshold to that. Especially when he would be in her mind all the time. She was sure he would test the bounds of even Helen Magnus's patience most magnificently, after all, if anyone could do it he could.

Helen smiled softly at the young woman. She herself would have been concerned for the same reasons only days ago. But, now, after experienced the extent of the bond and their vampiric marriage she knew she could never go back. She feared, in fact, that should she lose Nikola and their connection it might just break her. Pushing aside those fears she cleared her throat and turned to her employees. Nikola's mental nuzzle startled her momentarily, and she realised he had been privy to those fears bubbling up. She relaxed at feeling the comforting mental-gesture.

"There are just some matters that I cannot help you to understand," she tried to explain. "But, no, it will not be a concern."

They eyed her warily. They didn't understand, not really, how could they? Helen herself was having trouble wrapping her head around the concept. But now she wondered just how she had ever got by _without _being linked to Nikola. It felt so much a part of her, so _right_, that she just couldn't imagine anything else.

"If you say so, boss," Kate shrugged. "But, just so you know, I'll be happy to volunteer for shoot-the-vamp if you get sick of his nagging."

Helen's eyes lit up curiously and Nikola let out a low growl. Kate, Will and Henry frowned, not knowing what had just happened.

_**No, Helen, **_Nikola sent.

_**But, it would prove to be a very interesting experiment, **_she returned thoughtfully.

_**No, **_he ground out. _**I will not let you shoot me just to test the hypothesis that you would feel it too. **_

She really shouldn't have been surprised that he had known exactly what had sparked her interest in Kate's statement – he probably would have been able to without the telepathy.

_**But it would be such an intriguing experience**_, she reasoned.

_**And if you do feel it, ljubav? **_He sent, angrily. The extent of his anger startled her. It wasn't as though he hadn't been shot before. Hell, she'd shot him more times than you could count on one hand, possibly two.

He let out another growl – out loud – and it was only then Helen realised that he wasn't reticent to be shot himself. He was wary of the exact result they both theorised would occur – that she would feel something too. He didn't want her to feel it. She was touched by his fierce protectiveness, if not a little ruffled. She could take care of herself and it would surely take more than that to weather her resolve in her quest for knowledge.

"No," he repeated, out loud. She frowned at him.

_**I could just shoot you myself and have done with it, you know, **_she pointed out.

_**Only minutes after we've officially wed? **_He sent, his mental-tone lighter than before. _**Why, Helen darling, what a kinky way to celebrate.**_

He could see she wasn't really going to shoot him. As annoyed at his protectiveness – she always had been, always fighting against all the men who wished to protect her, it was only part of her feminist nature bred from being a strong woman born in her time – she was too touched.

_**Speaking of celebratory activities...**_ she sent, sending him a distinct mental-image of her bedroom.

_**Minx, **_he growled mentally.

By the time they'd finished their latest mental-tennis match, the children had taken to packing up their equipment in utter exasperation. Helen watched them guiltily. If she'd been accused of being driven to distraction by Nikola before to the point where he was the only one in the room to her, now that he was actually in her mind that little problem couldn't really improve much.

_**You know, **_she sent, _**the sooner we get out of here, the sooner I can have my way with you. **_

She'd never seen Nikola spring to action in aiding the children faster.

||\\|

_**Are we there yet?**_ Nikola's voice said in her mind.

"I don't know, there's no way of really knowing what it was that Nikola and I experienced whilst unconscious," Helen said to Will.

_**Are we there yet? **_Nikola sent again.

They were on the plane on the way back home. Nikola was beside Helen, their legs pressed together, and his hand resting on her knee. Kate and Henry sat a few seats away bickering about something Henry had asserted. Will sat opposite the mentally-linked couple – this time sans bracelets. He was wary, cautious even, but he seemed more resigned to the notion of her permanent attachment to Nikola. Well, she suspected he may be making a beeline for the library upon their return to look up 'vampire divorce' but she was fairly certain that would involve some form of consent on the part of her and Nikola. Consent she would most definitely never give.

"It couldn't have been a dream," Will said, "Not if both of you were having it at the same time which is..."

"Impossible?" Helen said, lips quirking upwards in amusement. Really, after four years one would think her protege would have learned to discard that word from his vocabulary.

_**Are we there yet? **_Nikola again, this time his hand edging from her knee upwards.

"Right," Will shook his head with a chuckle, "Not the right term to use, I get it."

_**Let's go and inspect the bathroom, **_Nikola prodded her mentally.

"We've no idea what is possible or not when it comes to ancient vampiric technology, Will," Helen said. "It could very well stretch beyond even the bounds of what we today consider telepathy."

"That's true, I suppose," Will said, "But what – Magnus?" he frowned, eyes darting nervously to Tesla. The vampire in question was currently leaning over to nip Helen's earlobe, having given up on playing subtlety in front of the children if she wasn't willing to join in the game. Now he'd decided to play dirty.

"Just ignore him," Helen suggested, pushing Nikola back into his seat with a firm shove. He shot her an amused look. Just when had his hand managed to travel that far up her thigh? She was having difficulty focusing on Will as he rubbed slow circles as he mentally nuzzled her. Oh, yes, Nikola was most definitely resorting to playing dirty now.

_**You really are incorrigible, **_she sent.

_**And you, my dear, are delectable to a fault, **_he responded.

When had their faces moved so close? She really wasn't sure, her eyes drifting down to his lips. She let out a frustrated growl before she crashed their lips together, closing the torturous distance between them. She weaved her fingers through his spiky hair, shifting in her seat to pull their bodies closer. God, why were they so far apart still?

She couldn't think, completely intoxicated by the taste of him, the sensual feel of his lust-addled mind mixing with her own.

She moaned aloud as his lips dropped to her neck, sucking, nipping the flesh softly. She arched her head back to grant his better access.

A loud pointed coughing sound drew them from their sweet reverie back to bitter reality. Helen glared, seeking out the source of the offensive sound. All three of her employees were watching them awkwardly. She saw Henry's eyes drift longingly to the door, as though he were seriously considering taking his chances with a thousand-foot drop over being confined for hours in a cabin with the two love-birds.

Nikola's hold on her waist tightened. She was perched on his lap now, not really knowing when that had happened either. She at least had the decency to look guilty for getting so carried away. Nikola, however, was not helping matters at all as he all-too deliberately kept sending her mental-images of what he would very much like to do to her right about now.

_**You were saying something earlier about being anti-exhibitionist? **_He sent teasingly.

Perhaps she'd test their theory about what would happen when she shot him right now.


	20. Undressing

**Because you're all so amazingly fantastically awesome I decided to give you another update. Seriously, you guys are the best, you're reviews make me smile so much. **

\||\\

_**All I meant, Nikola, **_Helen sent in exasperated mental tones, _**is that you really could have waited until we had gained more privacy before you tried to undress me. **_

Nikola smirked, his hand resting possessively on the small of her back as they walked into the Sanctuary. The children had darted inside before them. They'd practically jumped out of the van before the Big Guy had pulled the vehicle to a stop. Hell, she was fairly certain Henry _had _jumped out while it was still moving.

They had become rather arduous in the van. After the little incident on the plane, Helen had insisted she and Nikola sit apart. In their minds of course, she wouldn't satisfy the others so much by admitting out loud she couldn't control herself around the pesky vampire. It irked her to no end herself without their smirks.

But, of course, she had somehow ended up sitting on him.

It had been that bloody pothole. Of course there was no reason why, after the aforementioned pothole incident, she couldn't have removed herself from his lap but that was just nit-picking. Once she was in his arms she couldn't conceivably be expected to extricate herself voluntarily. That was just ridiculous. So, she recalled Nikola making a vaguely lewd and incredibly corny remark about how she'd fallen into his arms and then their lips had inevitably found each other. As though it had been that long since they'd last made out like teenagers in front of her team.

It wouldn't have been that bad. Truly it wouldn't have been. Not if Nikola then hadn't, in the heat of the moment, accidentally 'vamped out' and in the process ripped the front of her shirt. She was still suspicious of the true accidental nature he had claimed. Maybe if she hadn't been moaning embarrassingly loudly as he attacked her neck she would have been angrier at him.

_**Ljubav, please, **_Nikola smirked mentally, _**you were enjoying it very much, and don't you even try to deny it. **_He placed a kiss to her neck. _**I can see into your mind, remember?**_

_**Oh, all too well, **_she sniped back.

She disentangled herself from his hold, darting away before he could grab her again with a desperate hand.

"Don't bait me, Helen," he growled. "You know that I _will _catch you and forcibly carry you to the bedroom if I must. You can see in my mind what you're doing to me. You're positively maddening."

"Well, according to well documented history," she said, mock-seriously, "You already are mad."

She turned elegantly on her heel and disappeared from his sight, off chasing her children no doubt.

_**Yes, I am going to find the others, **_she offered mentally, _**I intend on offering an apology for our appalling behaviour. It really was rather outrageous.**_

He smirked. Deciding against following her – and risk her being genuinely angry at him as opposed to angry out of obligation – he headed off to her office to wait for her. Yes, he thought, he'd pick out a nice bottle of wine on the way await his lovely wife to join him after she'd cleared her conscience.

\||\\

"That image needs to leave my head," Henry whined, looking longingly at the wall, as though he were seriously considering attempting bashing his head against it. He looked at Kate with a helpless expression. "Why don't we have delete keys?"

Kate shook her head with a scoff.

"Come on, Hank," she said, "It wasn't _that _bad."

Henry just continued to stare at her with raised brows.

"Really, you think _that _wasn't _that _bad?" he said, "Were you sitting in the same van as me? Because I think we were just forced to watch the Doc and Tesla more all over each other than a pair of frisky nubbins!"

"Not to mention on the plane," Kate added with a smirk.

"Really not helping," Henry said.

Kate smirked. But she didn't say any more, finally taking pity on the poor man. She'd give him temporary leeway to freak out. Magnus had practically raised him after all and seeing your parents have sex was never pleasant. And, Lord knows Magnus had been pretty close to getting it on with the Vamp right then and there in the van.

Henry almost breathed a sigh of relief when she didn't say any more, turning to his console to begin working on some encryptions he had to do. Kate walked to the door, paused in the doorway, and turned back with a wicked grin.

"So, how long do you think it'll be before they actually get jiggy in front of us?" she said, "I'm thinking a few days, a week tops. Want to get in on the pool?"

She couldn't help herself, she really couldn't.

\|||\

"Kate!" Helen said as she crossed the woman in the hallway on the way to Henry's lab, "I'm glad I caught you."

"Hey Magnus," Kate said. "I'd say 'how's it going' but I kind already know you're doing well..." she offered a small smile.

Magnus was someone who was far too unflappable to be embarrassed by Kate's remark so she just raised an eyebrow in amusement.

"Yes, about that," she said, "I am terribly sorry you had to be there. We got a bit carried away..."

"Hey, you don't have to explain it to me, Doc," Kate said, with a shrug, "You and Tesla have had so much tension just in the time I've known you it's not surprise this telepathic thing pushed you over the edge. I'm just glad it happened before you guys snapped and jumped each other in a staff meeting or something."

Helen's mouth dropped open for a second – she wouldn't allow herself to be shocked any longer, on a matter of principle. Her eyes did widen, however.

"Anyway," Kate said, before her boss could say anything, "It's not me you should be apologising to." Her eyes drifted to the door of Henry's lab. "_I _wasn't the one bothered by it all that much."

Helen followed Kate's eye-line with a small sigh. Henry.

"Yes, I had half forgotten how difficult all of our antics must be upsetting him," she said.

Helen moved toward the door but turned back at the last minute.

"Oh, and Kate," she said.

Kate turned back, facing her boss expectantly.

"I'd prefer it if you pushed all thoughts of pools on myself and Nikola out of your head," she said, before entering Henry's lab.

Kate's mouth dropped open for a second before she shook her head with a small chuckle. She should have known Magnus would hear about it, she just wouldn't have expected her to know about it right away.

"Henry," Helen said as she walked into the young techie's lab.

Henry coughed.

"Hey Doc," he said, his voice sounding strained. He had his puppy-dog look on, making her feel even guiltier than before.

"How's the work coming along?" she inquired. She was feeling uncharacteristically hesitant to broach a topic. She was usually so forward. Yet now she felt nervous, knowing she had let herself become carried away in her affections for Nikola. It had been selfish of her and unfair to the others.

"Good," Henry said, his voice coming out more as a squeak. His eyes were glued to his computer screen, abjectly refusing to look at her.

"Henry," she said, figuring she may as well take the plunge, "I wanted to apologise for... my behaviour before." She paused, waiting for him to look at her. He seemed to sense she was waiting for him to stop what he was doing and so, slowly, he turned his eyes to her nervously.

"Water under the bridge, Doc," he said quickly. His voice wavered slightly.

"I'm not going to pretend to be apologising on behalf of Nikola," she said, "For I'm sure he has no qualms about our activities. However, I do wish to apologise to you." She paused again. "It was inconsiderate of me not to think of how it might embarrass you to... see me like that."

He smiled softly, before it turned into a half-grin.

"That's alright, Doc," he said, "Like I said, water under the bridge."

She beamed brightly at the young man.

"Just ah..." he said, "Just maybe warn me if Tesla is coming into the room you're in or something." He said.

She opened her mouth to protest that she and Nikola could at least be in the same room as each other and control themselves, but they really couldn't. She had no grounds to argue really, so far they hadn't been showing they had control very effectively.

_**So every time I want to get rid of the mutt I can just enter the room?**_ Nikola sent.

_**Stop eaves dropping, Nikola, **_she sent back tartly.

_**But your mind is such a tantalising place to linger, **_he casually sent back in reply.

She let out a little huff.

"You guys are doing it again, aren't you?" Henry said, watching Magnus place a hand of her hip and frown.

_**You know what looks really good right now, **_Nikola continued, _**your bedroom. Me, on your bed, a bottle of wine... all that's missing is you, ljubav.**_

He all but purred the last sentence in her mind and she shifted where she stood at Henry's lab table, letting out a little cough at the image of Nikola waiting for her in her bed. Damn him.

"I've got to go," she said quickly. Henry's eyes widened once more at her hastiness as she hurried across the room.

He groaned as she exited. He so did not need to have the knowledge that Magnus and Tesla would be getting it on right now.

"So not cool," he muttered, turning back to his computer in an effort to distract his mind from thoughts of the woman who raised him rushing off to her vampire husband.

\||\\

**I really couldn't resist going full circle and torturing Henry again at the end. Because I'm just a nice person like that... ;) **


	21. Redressing, Sort Of

**As much of a broken record as I am by now, I want to thank everyone from the bottom of my heart for all the wonderful reviews! I know I say it every chapter but you really are amazing. **

\\||\

"Anyone notice something strange?" Will said, taking a seat at the table in the kitchen – cup of coffee in hand. He took a sip of the almost-banished substance, relishing its strength and bitterness, and part of his also relishing Magnus's inevitable disapproval of such 'swill'. He had the sneaking suspicion that, if she could find just reasoning, she probably would ban the stuff from the premises. He was infinitely thankful she was so insistent on not playing the role of dictator, else he may be out of much needed caffeine.

"You're making love to a cup of coffee?" Kate snorted, watching him with an amused gaze.

"Can we please steer clear of that topic? Like 'run for the hills' clear?" Henry requested. He was sitting next to Will with a bowl of brightly coloured cereal. "I am so not ready to think about that."

"What, with the risk of Doc and Vlad going at it like horny rabbits every time we turn a corner?" Kate smirked.

Will shook his head at her deliberate goading of Henry. Though he himself was just as disgruntled as Henry at the prospect of stumbling upon Magnus and Tesla, they were insufferable at the moment. All of them had decidedly holed up in their respective rooms the moment they were free the previous evening, not wishing to risk witnessing another Magnus and Tesla incident.

"More like horny vampires," Henry amended, shovelling a spoonful of froot-loops into his mouth. Kate gave him a disgusted look as he attempted to talk through the mouthful, before swallowing messily and continuing. "Because, apparently, rabbits can't hold a candle to them." Kate grinned, and Will too had to grin also despite himself.

"What I meant before," Will said, "Was that it's like nine o'clock and Magnus isn't up yet. Usually she's clocked in more work before we're even up than Henry does in a day."

"Hey!" Henry protested. "Maybe you should go and check on those stacks of paperwork in your office, dude. You could get an asthma attack just going in there with all the dust."

Kate shook her head and rolled her eyes, and she looked as though she sorely wanted to utter 'boys'. It was usually Magnus who steered the two from their near-sibling bickering, and the older woman did it with an authority Kate couldn't hope to match.

"Uh...Will," Kate said, "I'd say she's up. She just hasn't come out of her bedroom yet."

"Dude," Henry protested, giving Kate a wide-eyed look. He'd only just managed to scrub the image of Magnus and Tesla in the van out of his brain, he did not need to be thinking about what they could possibly be doing in her bedroom right now.

"But Magnus is never this late," Will insisted.

"I think it's safe to say that the Vamp is the exception to nearly all of Magnus's rules," Kate said. Will's lips twisted upward, almost twitching in derision.

"But, hey, be my guest if you want to be the one to go and check," Kate continued, "Because I'm sure as hell not going anywhere near that bedroom this morning."

\||\\

Helen smiled, sighing contentedly as she snuggled closer to the warm body pressed against hers. Her pillow chuckled – how rude of it – but she quickly forgot her disgruntlement when it wrapped its arms more tightly around her waist, securing her snugly to its side.

_**I am not a pillow, **_Nikola sent in protestation. Helen hummed amusedly, and in slight disagreement, as she buried her face happily in the crook of his neck.

_**Perhaps I shall untangle myself and sleep on a real pillow, if the undertaking of said position displeases you so, **_she sent back lazily. She felt his flickering amusement thrum through her body.

There was something so luxurious about their telepathic connection in the mornings. It was like a lazy Sunday morning, with intensified feelings and warm emotions. They were both still sleepy, and not fully awake, so their connection was less inhibited. It was like their minds were meshed together lazily, each emotion played out in a tangled jumble, akin to their tangled limbs. Their affection was less guarded, flowing over the other in bursts of soft warmth like the morning rays of sunlight. It was glorious.

_**Always so practical, **_he sent critically. She sent a questioning prod. _**I'm in your mind, ljubav. **_He sent amusedly. _**I can tell you were worrying about all the paperwork on your desk, all those abnormals in need of saving...whether the Sanctuary will burn down without you.**_

She sent him a playful mental jab at that last one.

_**Cheeky, **_she sent half-heartedly, unable to really commit to the scolding sentiment.

_**Well it's ridiculous, really, **_he sent, unperturbed, _**if the Sanctuary were to burn down about us we'd surely notice. **_

_**And that should serve to make me feel better, should it? **_She queried.

_**No, **_he returned, _**but this will...**_

"Niko!" she squeaked out loud as he suddenly flipped them over, pinning her arms above her head as he drew her into a searing kiss.

_**I could always stop if you like and you can carry through with that horrid little line of thinking about getting up you were just having, **_he sent, breaking the kiss.

She mewled in protest and pouted, cursing him for thinking ahead to pin her arms so she couldn't reach out and drag him forcefully back. He smirked victoriously.

She nuzzled him mentally, hoping the action would weaken his resolve and make him forget what his purpose had been. He obviously saw right through this, which really wasn't surprising, and shook his head. He was grinning insufferably. Bloody cocky bastard.

_**But I'm your cocky bastard, **_he sent, _**and you love me.**_

_**Bloody vampire, **_she huffed.

He smiled. She'd been trying to weaken his resolve through mental caresses but what she hadn't realised, and what he hadn't counted on, was how much his resolve would be shattered simply by how adorable she looked right now. Slight frown in place and pouting lips, with her little huffs of protest, and Nikola was lost. He couldn't help but kiss those lips, if just to kiss away the displeasure expressed through her sulk. Being slave to her every whim really wasn't that bad, he mused as she arched into him.

_**Careful, Nikola, **_she sent in a teasing triumph, _**I may just hold you to that. **_

_**Hold away, ljubav, hold away, **_he sent back and she moaned aloud into the kiss.

||\\\

It was half and hour before they managed to get out of the bed, and twenty minutes more after that before they made it to the bathroom to shower. Showering wasn't their brightest idea either, it seemed. Helen was glad the household did not run on a limited supply of hot water else she feared no one else would get a share with her and Nikola around. Though having Nikola around seemed to mean higher water bills, a price she could live with.

_**I wasn't the one whose hair needed washing twice, **_Nikola sent.

_**Niko, do you ever do anything other than lurk around in my mind? **_She sent with only a hint of exasperation, she was mostly teasing him.

_**No, **_he sent simply, as though confused by the concept, _**why ever would I do that? What pursuit could ever be nearly as worthwhile as floating in such a beautiful mind? **_

Helen had to blush at that. Though he words were light she could feel the sincerity wash over her in humbling waves. She was glad she had her back to him as she stood at the bed, clothes laid out on the duvet. She suspected he could sense the blush on her but he said nothing, knowing she understood his affection.

_**And I wasn't the one who insisted on washing my hair twice, **_she sent back, reminding him, _**who knew the great Nikola Tesla would be so enamoured with washing ladies' hair. **_

He growled and she laughed softly. Not unexpectedly, as she'd sensed his approach, he wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and nipped her earlobe playfully.

"Not ladies' hair," he breathed right in her ear in a low, gruff tone that was both possessive and tender at the same time, "_Your _hair."

It was another half hour after that before they managed to actually dress and leave the bedroom.

\||\\

When Helen and Nikola finally did emerge from her chambers, their hands were clasped together just as their minds were. The telepathic connection did nothing to quell the aching need to be close to the other, to touch, to feel the tingling sensation of skin brushing skin. If anything, it only heightened the intimacy of such pleasures, causing them both to crave proximity like a drug. It only seemed to be getting worse too. Helen was half-heartedly concerned that they would end up so needy they'd not be able to separate for fear of developing anxiety.

Nikola's lack of mockery of her concern meant that he too was a small part concerned. That, or he really wouldn't mind all that much should he never be far from her side. In fact, Helen suspected that was the case. While she would begrudgingly admit she found herself wondering where the point in prising herself away from his physical form was, the practical side of her reasoned there would be times when it was necessary.

_**You need to stop worrying so much, ljubav, **_Nikola sent in a drawl as he pulled her into the elevator. He was absently rubbing small circles on her hip as his hand rested comfortably there, her back pressed lightly into him.

She titled her head to the side so she could look at him directly.

_**But **_– she went to protest. However, he crashed his lips onto hers. _**You are aware that method doesn't actually prevent me from communicating? **_

Her body treacherously ignored the protestation coming from within her mind as a hand flew up to Nikola's neck, fingers toying with the edges of his hair enjoyably.

_**It was worth a try, **_he sent with a mental shrug, which accompanied the cheeky grin he was sporting as their lips parted. _**My kisses have rendered you speechless both physically and mentally before, after all.**_

_**As I recall, **_Helen sent back in amusement, turning her head so that his attempt to kiss her words away fell on her cheek instead, _**it was you who was rendered speechless by my kiss. **_

_**Don't married couples partake in the 'what's mine is yours' philosophy? **_He retorted. She grinned back at him, which in retrospect was a mistake in her attempt to deprive him of her lips as moments later his own lips were upon hers again.

So wrapped up in each other's mouths they were that neither half of the amorous couple noticed the elevator doors open with a cheery 'ding'. The three young people standing on the opposite side of the door, however, were not cheery as the door opened.

"Dude, seriously?" was the sentiment that finally alerted the couple to their audience.


	22. So Very Not Good

**Hey everyone. I hope you all had lovely Valentine's Days... if you're into that. I spent my Valentine's Day in a tent in the wilderness with two of my friends. It said it was a three person tent but, really, I'm not sure what sized people it meant because we're all quite small and it was inappropriately squishy. :P No matter how much you love your friends, four nights with no showers in a tent like that... **

**Because you all needed to be exposed to that sort of story. **

**So much LOVE to everyone who's been reviewing. **

\||\\

"Something very bad is about to happen," Henry said, as his eyes remained fixed to his computer screen, "Something very, very bad."

"Did you develop psychic abilities and not tell us?" Will smirked from where he sat on a stool. He and Kate had sort of retreated to Henry's lab after the elevator incident. Apparently, even modes of transportation within the Sanctuary were no longer safe.

"No," Henry said, "But the security cameras did just pick up someone prowling outside the gates..."

He swivelled the computer screen so the other two could see. Their eyes widened and they exchanged a fearful look.

"Druitt is here," Will said. His tone a little higher than he was comfortable with. The arrival of Jack the Ripper wasn't generally a happy occasion. Though it was less fearful than before, it wasn't as though they all decided to skip through fields of daisies and braid each other's hair... if Druitt had hair, that is. Or if he weren't likely to hack you into tiny pieces for your hair-care bonding attempts. However now, more than ever, the three couldn't help but be filled with a heavy feeling of dread.

It was well known that Druitt was fiercely possessive of Helen.

"Well, Druitt certainly picked an, ah, interesting time to drop in for a visit," Kate said. Henry's face visibly drained of colour.

"Oh sweet Jesus in Heaven," he said, "What if he runs into the Doc and Tesla...you know."

"Going at it like a pair of nubbins?" Kate suggested.

"How are you being so relaxed about this very problematic problem?" Henry said, "The creepy serial killer is about to stumble on his ex going at it with his arch nemesis! Heads are going to roll people!"

"I have to agree with Henry," Will said, "We'd better go and warn Magnus and Tesla, at the very least. So they can... maybe stay in opposite corners of the Sanctuary until Druitt is a safe distance."

"Those two?" Henry said, "Dude, that would be like trying to pull apart two magnets and keep them away."

"Magnus of all people knows how volatile Druitt is, and how easily provoked," Will reasoned.

"Yeah, but then there's the Vamp," Kate pointed out, "He likes to rile up Druitt almost as much as he likes draining the wine cellar."

"Not to mention the Doc's rational side seems to be taking a vacation," Henry said.

"Okay, we could all stand around poking holes in the plan," Will said, "Or we could go and tell them that we have a guest."

They all remained where they were for a beat, eyes drifting to each other. None of them particularly wanted to be the one to have to go and seek out the couple for fear of stumbling upon something akin to the elevator display.

"How about we draw straws?" Kate said.

"No!" both Henry and Will said at the same time. Kate smirked. Alright, so maybe she'd cheated just a teensy tiny little bit the last few times. But, hey, cleaning some of the nastier enclosures in the Sanctuary was something that was a life-changing experience. One she did not fancy having more than once if she could help it.

||\\|

"Nikola, you know I really do have to work at some point in the near future," Helen reasoned, making another futile attempt to extricate herself from the vampire who currently had his deceptively strong arms wrapped about her.

_**Opting out of telepathic communication for verbal communication, **_Nikola sent, _**that is so last week, Helen.**_

She rolled her eyes as he tugged her once again, causing her to fall atop his lap with a huff. She could see her desk across the room where they were cuddling on the couch in her office. It was beckoning her, standing stoically, like an imposing teacher calling over a student to work.

Well, a vampire pinning her down so she physically could not escape was still a far better excuse than something along the lines of a dog eating homework. She remembered getting called down to the school one day because a young Ashley had insisted that her homework assignment had been stolen by a practical joke playing pixie.

_**You know you can't just hold me forever and hope I finally relent, **_she sent matter-of-factly.

_**Why not? **_he responded, unable to resist the delectable expanse of creamy neck exposed to him in their current position. She moaned, suddenly forgetting just why the idea of him holding her in his arms forever had seemed like a flawed plan moments ago.

_**Hmmm? **_She sent, eyes now closed and thoroughly enjoying the sensations his lips were eliciting. Not to mention the work of his wandering fingers as they slid teasingly under the hem of her skirt. She had the feeling she would be wearing a lot of skirts of late.

_**I may have removed all of the trousers from your wardrobe, **_Nikola sent, picking up on her last thought. He had sent it sheepishly, causing her eyes to snap open. Also picking up some of her anger (albeit half-hearted) he sent her a mental-nuzzle.

_**Nikola Tesla so help me -! **_She sent, but the thought was cut off by the office door bursting open.

Helen let out a squeak at the unexpected intrusion. In her attempt to turn her head to see who had interrupted them, she had momentarily forgotten she'd been perched precariously on top of Nikola. She hit the ground with an ungraceful thud.

_**Of course,**_** now **_**you let me go? **_She sent.

Picking herself up, she fixed a glare at a rather apologetic looking Nikola.

Will and Henry stood awkwardly in the doorway, both wondering if the newly married couple were actually fused together.

Pushing himself up to a sitting position himself, he held out an arm, grasping her hand and pulling her up easily. Of course in true Nikola Tesla style he defied her wishes and, instead of helping her to her feet as she had intended, he pulled her back to his lap.

_**Really, Nikola? **_She sent, more amused than annoyed at this point. _**Is it not enough that our minds are linked?**_

He chose that moment to defiantly nuzzle her both with his nose against her neck and his mind simultaneously. A pleasurable thrum spread through her body and, once again, all complaints died on her lips – or in her mind.

"Oh, look, nope," Henry said, "They've entered the Tesla-Magnus bubble again."

"Yeah," Will said, "Usually, this would be the point where we should leave in order to retain some sense of sanity."

"I'm sorry, Will," Magnus said, clearing her throat and sitting up straight – though the fact she remained seated on her lover's lap did not go unnoticed, "What was it you wanted?"

"Could you guys maybe not be..." Henry said, trailing off with a vague hand wave over their seating arrangement. "Doing whatever it is... this is."

Helen smiled apologetically and mentally poked Nikola. He pouted.

_**Darling, **_he sent amusedly, _**it may have escaped your notice, but I let go of you shortly after I pulled you into my lap. **_

Helen looked down to realise that she was, indeed, free of his embrace. The thought saddened her, despite it having been her aim of moments ago. Nikola chuckled affectionately.

_**Admit it Helen, **_he sent, _**you like using me as a chair...and a pillow if this morning is anything to go by. **_

She bristled and stood, brushing off imaginary lint from her shirt and smoothing down her skirt. Nikola followed in an almost comically instinctive move. She could feel him standing close behind her, though he refrained from touching her. She found herself missing his touch, which was outrageous. It had been seconds since she'd been pressed against Nikola on the couch and already she missed his embrace. God, what the hell had this man done to her?

"Did the two of you barge in here for a specific purpose or just to play chaperone?" Nikola said, tapping a foot impatiently.

"Oh, you're going to want to hear this," Will said, taking a sort of twisted pleasure in breaking this particular news to the vampire. "We came up here to warn you that we have a guest."

"Warn us?" Helen said, suddenly alert despite Nikola's lazy mental caresses.

"Three words Doc," Henry said, "Tall, bald and deadly."

"Ah," Helen said. Nikola hissed and took a possessive step closer to her.

_**Johnny boy is not going to like his ex-fiancée sharing a telepathic bond indicative of ancient vampiric bonds with someone else, **_Nikola sent, _**or particularly me.**_

_**I'm my own person, Nikola, **_she sent back, _**what I do – or with whom I do it – is, frankly, none of John's business.**_

_**I could kill him for you, **_Nikola offered.

_**Nikola, that offer didn't work in the nineteenth century and it won't work now, **_she sent in amusement.

_**Spoil-sport, **_he sent with a pout. _**Not even as a wedding gift?**_

_**If you'd prefer that to what I had planned for you tonight then by all means...**_ she sent.

"Back to the bubble then," Henry sighed.

"You're still here?" Nikola drawled. "Where is Johnny boy anyway?"

"Kate and the Big Guy went to let him in," Will said. "Henry and I just thought we'd, uh, come and warn you so you weren't... in a compromising position."

"Thank you, that was very thoughtful of you," Helen said, unbashful at his implication that they had less control than a pair of nubbins. "We'd best go and greet him at the door."

_**You and your Victorian sensibilities, **_Nikola sent.

She smirked, and headed to the door without waiting for a response from any of them.

_**Are you coming or not? **_she sent back to him.

Henry shook his head as he watched them go.

"Ten bucks says Tesla draws blood first," Henry said.

"You're on," Will agreed.


	23. Enter Druitt

"I _said,_" Kate repeated sternly (and she couldn't quite believe she was bossing around Jack the Ripper, that just seemed like taunting the world), "Magnus will be down to see you soon."

"_Yes_," Druitt said with little patience reflected in his tone. "So you said. However, I do not comprehend as to why I am made to wait here in the foyer like some common straggler you dragged in off the streets."

"Your track record isn't exactly all sunshine and roses," Kate pointed out. Though she couldn't help but notice how his voice was slowly ebbing away from forced pleasantry to that menacing tenor. The man was too creepy for his own good sometimes. She was infinitely glad she'd had to good sense to bring her firearm – just in case – should she need to defend herself against Magnus's ex, the notorious serial killer. Kate had to hand it to the older woman, she certainly knew how to pick her men.

"You don't have to speak," Big Buy grunted at Druitt pointedly. The bald man narrowed his eyes at him.

"Butlers are generally supposed to be courteous to guests of their masters," he bit back.

"Okay," Kate inferred before something ugly did start going down, everyone knew the Big Guy disliked Druitt intensely, "Not in the nineteenth century anymore. Let's not start duelling about honour and all that."

If she hadn't known any better, she would have thought Druitt's lip curled up in amusement at that.

"John," came the cool British voice – this time thankfully female – and Kate could have sighed in relief. "To what do we owe the unexpected pleasure?"

John turned towards the direction of the clacking heels on tile, smile on face. The smiled faltered somewhat upon seeing who was tagging along behind her. There was a satisfied grin on Tesla's face as the small party came to a halt in front of Druitt, Kate and the Big Guy.

If seeing Helen's motley crew hadn't been tiresome enough, now he also to put up with Tesla? He resisted the urge to sigh dramatically. Druitt narrowed his eyes. The pesky vampire was looking all too smug about being present in Helen's home while he himself was not. Helen herself was looking suspiciously pleasant, as though to make up for the lack of warm welcome from her comrades. Now that was suspicious. She rarely wore such a wide, albeit uneasy looking, smile when greeting him. What were they up to? He wouldn't usually be this concerned, but if it was something as nefarious as to make an effort to hide it from Jack the Ripper, there was probably cause for his suspicions.

With both Tesla and Helen thrown together, the results could, quite literally, be explosive. Lord knows he, James and Nigel had had a hell of a time running around trying to audit their exploits back at Oxford. Sometimes, they had the tendency to lose their rationality in the face of scientific curiosity.

"What a lovely surprise," Druitt hissed, and Tesla's smile only widened, "An impromptu reunion."

"Yes, isn't it just?" the vampire said, grinning.

"John, Nikola, really," Helen warned.

Tesla grinned, rocking on his heels happily beside her. He was standing far too close to Helen for John's liking. Druitt took a step forward, closing the gap between himself and her. Helen, seeing right through this ploy, rolled her eyes. What was it that turned these two men into bickering kindergarteners when around each other? She supposed she shouldn't allow herself to be naive enough to think it had nothing to do with her.

Nikola's counter-strike to John's was to place a hand on the small of her back. It was a possessive and childish move on his behalf, and yet Helen couldn't help but enjoy the physical contact.

_**Nikola, I told you to behave, **_she sent in what was almost a growl.

_**Oh Helen, **_he sent in a drawl, _**you little hypocrite. How do you expect me to behave when your mind is wandering into the filthiest of territories ever since I touched you?**_

She really couldn't argue with that logic. Damn him. His skills at arguing with her had increased tenfold since their telepathic connection. Using her own mind against her was the ultimate weapon.

They'd been silent for a few beats, but Helen shot Nikola an exasperated look. John frowned. They were behaving most peculiarly.

"I need to speak with you," he said, feeling as though he were intruding (and he disliked such a feeling when regarding the pair) as their eyes snapped to him once again.

"So speak," Helen urged. She was obviously not in the mood to play games. A shame.

John's eyes drifted pointedly over to her employees and she rolled her eyes.

"Fine," she huffed, "Let us go to my office then." She turned to the group of onlookers. "I'm sure you all have plenty of work to be getting on with. If not, I'd be only too happy to provide you with something to occupy your time."

"No, no, we're good, we're good!" came the chorus of hurried voices. Magnus's 'extra' tasks were never pleasant. They usually involved industrial strength protective cleaning gloves and a smell that took at least three showers to break.

Tesla and Druitt watched appreciatively as the group scattered in under ten seconds after Helen's authoritative words.

"Reminds you of the good old days, doesn't it?" John grinned. Nikola grinned.

Helen could only roll her eyes once more. Of course, when it came to teasing her, _then _they would behave civilly. Bloody infuriating her boys were at the best of times.

She didn't let them have their fun, swivelling on her heel and stalking off in the direction she'd just come from. John smirked and followed.

_**Well, **_Helen's impatient mental-voice sounded in his mind, _**are you coming or not? **_

Nikola grinned, his feet instantly moving to trace her footsteps. He'd had a brief moment of indecision. He wasn't sure whether she'd wanted him to follow or not. He knew it was stupid to be so insecure, especially now, with her but he couldn't help it. John Druitt had always been a sore spot for him. Knowing someone else had once held her heart pained him. There was always that tiny little part of him, that little nagging voice, taunting him, saying she wasn't over John and that he, Nikola, was just a pitiful second best.

_**You're an idiot, Nikola, **_came her mental-tone of utter exasperation. _**My brilliant, brilliant idiot.**_

||\\|

**Let the games begin... I'll try not to make poor Johnny boy forced into being too voyeuristic next chapter. Well... I won't try too hard. It's not my fault if Helen and Nikola can't keep their paws off each other. :P**


	24. Rumour Has It

**Yay, hello my beloved Teslenites *HUGS*... (just in case anyone felt like they needed some love)... **

**Some more Teslen-bubble, in which Helen-and-Nikola-start-mentally-flirting-and-forget-about-everything-and-everyone-else-in-the-whole-entire-world... well, they're so awesome why wouldn't they? **

**Also, this has nothing to do with this story but...if anyone else has a song suggestion for an upbeat but Teslen song for a vid please let me know. I want an upbeat (okay, so maybe just less angsty than my others) song for a new vid but can't seem to find one myself. Suggestions are most welcome! **

\||\\

"Are you sure you're quite alright, my dear?" John queried, as he followed Helen from a few steps behind.

Nikola bristled from beside the man as he heard him use such a casual term of endearment when addressing _his _wife. Sure, John often affixed such endearments when talking to her – just as James had often done – but it was riling him up more than ever.

_**Nikola, don't let him bait you, **_Helen said, obviously picking up on the feelings of anger, possessiveness and jealousy coursing through their linked minds right now, _**he doesn't even realise he's doing it.**_

_**I'm not sure that makes it any better, ljubav, **_Nikola growled. He saw Helen's stride falter for an almost imperceptible moment at the force o his mental statement.

The thought of John calling Helen 'dear' or 'darling' (even as innocent as that could be) was bad enough. But the thought of him doing it as though it were second-nature was enough to make Nikola ball his fists.

_**Really, Nikola, **_gone was the soothing tone, replaced by exasperation.

John must have assumed Helen was pointedly not speaking to him, as he didn't push her further. He only continued to watch her with a gaze far too intent for Nikola's approval.

They came to her office without much more mental complaint from the vampire. Though Helen could still feel the possessive feelings he was harbouring, and his unconcealed glares at John. It was strange to feel someone else's possessiveness of yourself.

"Please, gentleman, take a seat," she offered after she strode into her office.

_**I don't need to wait to be offered a seat in your office, Helen, we're a little beyond that, **_Nikola sent.

She shot him a look. He was to behave.

Nikola rolled his eyes and flopped down dramatically on one of the couches. John paused, looked between them curiously, and then took a seat on the opposite couch. Helen herself sat on one of her favoured armchairs. She wasn't willing to sit next to either John or Nikola. John, because she did not want to raise his hopes or instil some sort of masculine ego-boost over Nikola. Then Nikola, not only not to boost one of their egos in the little game of one-up-man-ship they seemed to have been playing for the better part of a century, but also because she just knew he would end up sitting inappropriately close before either one of them really noticed.

Nikola's smirk let her know he knew exactly why she wasn't sitting near him.

_**Good Lord, Nikola, **_she sent, _**I do have some self control around you, stop being so bloody self-absorbed.**_

His smirk widened then.

_**Self-control? **_He scoffed. _**Please, ljubav, or did you conveniently forget our little wager of a few days ago? I'd be only too happy to refresh your memory on the matter.**_

Nikola used their link to send her mental-images of their none-too-subtle flirting around the children in their staff meeting from before. Then there was a flash of her racing from the room, instructing him to follow, and practically jumping him.

She shifted in her chair and coughed, her eyes drifting to his lips longingly.

_**Helen, love, weren't you saying something about self-control? **_He sent with false innocence.

_**Cheeky bloody vampire, **_she sent.

"The pair of you, you are acting very peculiarly," John uttered.

She nearly jumped. She'd almost forgotten he was there. Damnit, she really had to do something about that. However attached she'd grown to Nikola and his intoxicating presence, she couldn't continue on drowning in their bond every time someone else was around. It just wasn't conducive to everyday life. She briefly wondered how the ancient bonded vampires had handled their similar situations.

"I do apologise, John," Helen offered, "Nikola and I... have found ourselves in a rather sticky situation as a result of some research we were doing. Nothing to worry about, I assure you."

Nikola mentally scoffed.

_**Nothing to worry about? **_He sent, _**'sticky situation'? Is that all I am to you now?**_

Perhaps if he'd felt beyond his own misery he would have seen how insincere her words were. Lord, he only need look into her eyes to see how much she loved him. How could he truly question it now? After all they'd been through? He was so wrapped up in his own insecurities as a result of her ex showing up he wasn't even paying attention to her thoughts or feelings. Sometimes Nikola could be so frustratingly dense for such a brilliant man.

"Yes, well," John said, eyes darting between them with mistrust, "That may be one of the reasons that I am here."

"Oh?" Helen said, curiosity piqued now.

She'd always been far too curious for her own good. Suddenly, her annoyance at John's appearance and her worry for Nikola's sulking melted away and was replaced by her thirst for intrigue. She'd always written it off as one of her major faults, letting the outside world disappear and single-mindedly pursuing knowledge – sometimes at the expense of herself, or even others by default. However, she knew Nikola had loved it about her. To some degree, she supposed all of her boys had loved it about her. It was what had attached them to becoming the Five, was it not? To believing in her despite her gender? But Nikola, most of all, had admired it in her. Perhaps because he was so similar, and he understood more than anyone.

"I'm here as a warning, I suppose," John said. "Some of my contacts informed me there are some nasty faces getting interested in something Helen Magnus has been getting herself involved in."

"These sources," Nikola drawled, "Are they reliable or are they, how shall I put it delicately, on the same level as you, Johnny boy?"

John flashed Nikola a dark look.

"They're reliable," he ground out, "Mostly due to fear, they know what I am, what I can do. They may be morally reprehensible, but you know that makes them right – because they're involved in some minor level in whatever these nasty characters want."

"What, pray tell, is it that these _characters _are seeking?" Helen asked, carefully.

_**How could anyone possibly know? **_She sent to Nikola.

_**Perhaps a little birdie told them? **_He replied.

She didn't have time to chastise Nikola for even implying someone from within her Sanctuary would leek such information. She trusted them all beyond doubt.

"The word is that you and a certain comrade," his eyes turned to Nikola pointedly then, "Have stumbled upon some sort of powerful technology."

"Stumbled?" Nikola scoffed, "Please, we're scientists. We didn't _stumble upon _anything. We were executing an extraction after clearly thought out research."

_**Oh please, Nikola, **_Helen sent in amusement, _**we stumbled across the bracelets.**_

_**Spoil sport, **_he pouted, poking her childishly. She grinned at him.

John frowned, watching what could only be described as a silent exchange between his two former colleagues. Ancient technology or not, there was definitely something odd going on between them.

"Perhaps it would better suit you to go and skulk in Helen's wine cellar whilst the grownups talk?" John suggested to the vampire.

"Wouldn't stop me from listening," Nikola said, cryptically. Helen wished she had sat next to Nikola now, just so she could physically nudge him as well as her mental-nudge.

_**Whatever happened to subtlety? **_She all-but hissed in his mind. She knew from experience that a mental-hiss was not what one would call pleasant.

_**It died long ago, ljubav, **_he remarked.

"That makes no sense whatsoever," John said, frowning. Nikola rolled his eyes. He should have known John wouldn't have picked up anything intellectually stimulating from his comment. "I think he's finally gone off the deep end, Helen."

"Don't make me give you both a time-out," Helen threatened, sarcastically. If they would act like bickering children fighting over a toy – however she detested referring to herself as such, that's how they seemed to be treating her – then she would treat them as such.

_**You can give me a time-out any time you like, **_Nikola sent suggestively.

_**Nikola, **_she sent back, _**we are not mentally role-playing right now. **_

Despite her chastisement, she couldn't help but find the idea of playing teacher to Nikola's naughty pupil all too alluring.

_**Why not? **_he pouted.

_**Do I really need to explain it you? **_She sent, _**or did you forget out no exhibitionism agreement? **_

_**Didn't that agreement fall through on itself shortly after we enacted it? **_He sent.

_**I maintain that was all your fault, **_she sent.

_**Oh you are not blaming me for that, **_he sent with a smirk, _**or do I need to remind you of your little airplane display? Or the van ... or the elevator... **_

_**Alright, point made, **_she sent.

He smirked. She retaliated by sending a mental image of the whip she knew was stashed away in the back of her wardrobe.

His eyes lit up like a child on Christmas Day. Or perhaps such a comparison was inappropriate for such content material, Helen mentally reasoned with herself. Still, watching his eyes light up as such warmed her heart. His excitement, about anything, had always been contagious to her. Him and his damn infectious emotions, maybe she'd caught his affection and that was how she'd fallen so hard for him.

_**Did you just manage to reason a way to blame me for falling in love with me? **_Nikola sent, amused.

_**Rather brilliant, isn't it? **_She sent with a smile.

He frowned and she mentally nuzzled him, just to let him know she was just playing with him.

"Helen."

She literally did jump in surprise at the sound of the deep voice speaking her name. She turned her eyes back to John, then guiltily back to Nikola. He'd been a bit surprised too. They'd both somehow managed to forget the presence of the serial killer in the room as they'd engaged in their usual mental banter.

_**Sranje, **_Helen cursed.

Nikola smirked in amusement at her use of swear words in his native tongue. She flashed him a sheepish smile.

_**You have no idea how hot that is, **_he sent.

She cocked her head to the side, feeling the affect it had on him. It had been quite accidental, but this would most definitely be worth exploring...

"Helen," John's voice broke her thoughts again.

Yes, most definitely worth exploring later, when Jack the Ripper wasn't glaring at them with a homicidal glint in his eyes. She really hoped John didn't have any more knowledge on what objects she and Nikola had stumbled upon, because they would have pretty much confirmed his suspicions...and he would most certainly not enjoy the idea of her and Nikola with a telepathic connection.


	25. A Game II

**Hey my lovelies.**

**So, no throwing things at me please. Read the WHOLE chapter before going all crazy fangirl on me. **

**As always, thank you times a million-billion-gazillion to all the lovely reviewers. **

**Also, thank you to everyone who suggested songs! You guys have some awesome ideas and I now find myself with too many ideas! :P I'm still playing around with them. I'll be sure to let you know when I'm done. That being said, if anyone has a specific song request (happy or sad or anything Teslen really) be sure to let me know. I'll usually oblige if I like the idea. :P **

**Enough of me, on to the chapter!**

\|\\|

Helen felt as though the air in the room had gone from chilled but pleasant to the kind of winds only seen in the likes of Antarctica. She'd always prided herself on managing to maintain a semblance of calm, even when the world was falling apart about her, but right now she was sure she looked like a deer caught in headlights. Panic washed through her, leading her to wonder just why exactly she was so terrified of the thought of John discovering what she and Nikola had found. She wasn't his. He had no claim on her, and she was free to do whatever with whomever she pleased.

John's icy blue eyes were darting with unconcealed suspicion between them both. Helen could have hit Nikola for his grin, but settled for a mental jab instead. They always seemed as effective, despite her sadness at loosing the chance to physically touch him, which was becoming a rather concerning necessity of late.

Thankfully, mercifully, a beeping from her computer broke the three from their stand-off. Helen seized the opportunity without second thought, immediately walked over and addressed the call from the welcome intruder. John hadn't moved, which was rather unnerving, but something she had grown quite used to in his methods of intimidation.

"Hey Doc," Henry said, nervously, his face appearing on screen. "Didn't mean to interrupt...anything, but I have sort of a technological situation down here and could really use the help of a snarky vampire."

Helen wasn't quite sure whether he meant her and Nikola's romantic liaisons or the fact that John was present by 'anything'.

"What did you do to the system?" she immediately accused Nikola. It was more out of second nature.

"Me?" Nikola said, the picture of innocence, "Why would I sabotage the system if I had to fix it?"

"With you?" she said, "There's always a hidden agenda. He'll be down to fix whatever he's done in a minute, Henry, thank you."

Henry nodded and disconnected the call. He evidently did not wish to witness any further conversation between herself and the vampire.

Nikola was obviously confused by her frosty words, and her accusation. She obviously knew he had not done anything to harm her Sanctuary's precious network. Not only because she could see into his mind, but also because they'd been literally inseparable for the past week. It took him a moment to figure out that she was putting on a display for John, to throw him off the scent so to speak.

"I take it I have my orders then," he said, petulantly.

_**I'll go and play with Wolf-Boy, **_he sent, letting her feel his displeasure, _**but if he so much as looks at you the wrong way, I'll be back.**_

She didn't respond. It was no use in trying to convince Nikola he didn't need to get so bloody protective. He shot a glare at John, before casting Helen one more pointed look before heading out of her office, pointedly leaving the door open behind him.

_**Yes, I am aware you're still here even if not technically present, **_Helen sent in response to Nikola's third mental poke.

_**Just checking, **_he responded.

"Tesla is still working to his own agenda," John chuckled, "Nothing's changed then."

"As are you with your agendas," she retorted coolly, "So indeed it does seem as though nothing has changed."

His face flashed darkly and he was back to the menacing look of moments ago.

"I came here to warn you, Helen," he said, taking a step towards his former lover.

"Partly," she said, "But you could have called, could have sent a message."

"You don't wish to see me?" he said, "We're...friends...Helen, if nothing else. Am I not allowed to ever see you now? Is that what we've come to?"

"That's not what I meant, John," she bit back, "And you know it."

He always did have the nasty habit of taking her words and twisting them, like he had done with so much else about their relationship. Even before he'd become the Ripper it had been like that, of course she hadn't realise that until much later, so captivated by him.

"No, I gather it's not," he all-but hissed. He'd taken another step to her now, and she instantly regretted remaining with her back so close to her desk. The distance between them was shrinking rapidly and she no escape without raising suspicion and playing right into his hand.

"If you have something to say, John," she said, remaining strong, "Then, please, go ahead and say it, don't hold back. I don't have time to play these trivial games with you."

"I think you're the one who's playing games, Helen," he replied darkly.

"I have no idea what you mean, John," she said, firmly.

He said nothing and she stood nervously for a moment, awaiting his next move. Helen Magnus was never someone to cower, or to run from confrontation. She was formidable, notorious even, as an opponent. But John always made her nervous. John was a volatile variable, he was unpredictable. His madness – or the presence of the energy beast – always meant she could never quite see what he was doing to do. If there was one thing Helen Magnus hated, it was being in the dark. The dark was not a friendly place for someone who liked being in control.

That was why, in the next moment, when he acted as he did she stood stunned. Even in his unpredictability she had not seen that one possibly coming. He'd bridged the remaining pitiful gap between them and kissed her, all in the span of a few seconds. She didn't even realise what he was doing until his lips were firmly and insistently pressed against hers.

It took her a few more moments for her brain to catch up, but when it did she pressed her hands against his broad chest and pushed him away. Mercifully, he allowed her that and relinquished her lips. He still stood uncomfortably close, though.

A cripplingly powerful wave of emotions surged through her body, a combination, no doubt, of both her and Nikola's reactions. She didn't even presume to hope he hadn't realised what was going on. Her surprise at the kiss had meant her mental barriers were non-existent to him. Not that she should have hidden it from him anyway, she'd done nothing to welcome the kiss nor had she wanted it.

"What do you think you're doing?" she snapped. Her voice was fierce, she was livid. She wasn't quite sure herself whether all of that anger was her own, or intensified by Nikola.

But he wasn't reacting as he should be. He was watching her face almost curiously, as though the kiss had been some sort of test and he was waiting for her reaction.

She didn't need to mentally speak to Nikola as she knew he was already on his way, storming back up to her office from Henry's lab. The poor techie must be beyond confused, having had Nikola arrive in his lab only to depart a few minutes later abruptly, rage written across his features as clearly as words on a page.

"What the _bloody hell _are you playing at?" she hissed again, side-stepping her way around his body to increase the distance between them.

What was more frustrating than the kiss was his lack of explanation. Hell, he hadn't even spoken despite her fiery questions.

Helen unconsciously moved closer to the door, anxiously awaiting Nikola. He was taking too long. She wanted him here, now. Even though she could feel he was practically running, it still felt too long.

John's eyes never left her as he watched her cross the room and go to stand beside the door. He made no move to follow though.

That's how they were when Nikola finally arrived. Helen was by the door, hand reaching out instantly to grab his, and John by her desk watching in an eerily hawklike manner.

Nikola's eyes were black and she suspected the only thing preventing him from physically attacking John was her firm, needy grip on his hand.

"So it is true then," John ground out.

Rage was suddenly replaced with shock as she realised what he'd been doing. She sent out soothing mental signals to the enraged vampire in an effort to calm him down. If he'd just calm enough to regain rational thought then he would see what John had been playing at.

_**Nikola, **_she sent, _**Nikola! **_

_**I am going to kill him, **_he sent back. At least he was using words now.

_**No, calm down, **_she insisted.

_**Calm down? **_Nikola sent, _**are you serious, Helen? Of all the ruddy things to say, all you have to say is 'calm down'?**_

_**He wasn't really kissing me, **_she sent hastily, knowing she would get nowhere unless she just came out and explained.

_**I saw it, Helen, **_Nikola said, _**don't try and deny it.**_

_**I'm not denying anything, **_she sent calmly, _**but he didn't kiss me for the reason you think.**_

_**Oh, this should be good, **_Nikola responded harshly.

_**Just, listen! **_She sent, frustrated. Why were all men so pigheaded?

"Calmed your little pet down yet, darling?" John said, the words dripping like acid from his tongue.

"I don't believe it," she hissed, "That's why you really came here, isn't it? To check and see if we did have a telepathic communication?"

"And it seems it was a wise decision on my part!" John spat.

_**He was provoking you, Nikola, **_she said, finally sensing he was moderately calm again, though irrational rage replaced by a more rational version directed at John, _**he wanted to force us into revealing our telepathic link.**_

_**He could have done it another way, **_Nikola insisted, _**he didn't need to kiss you. He could have come out and asked us directly.**_

_**Would we have told him the truth? **_She queried. She wasn't quite sure herself.

Nikola wasn't having any of it, though.

"You bastard," he spat at John. "You just can't let go, can you? You can't accept that Helen loves me."

John simply rolled his eyes, looking back at Helen.

"Shall _we _continue to discuss this like grown-ups?" he said, "I didn't lie before, Helen. I did come here to warn you, even if it was not my sole purpose. I needed to confirm these suspicions too. They are relevant, even if they do have a personal aspect to me."

"Why would you want to help us, John?" she said. It was hard to trust John. One could never know how much of the truth he was telling. "Why would you warn us when you probably don't like this situation at all?"

John looked between the pair, glaring.

"Not help you both, Helen," he said, "Help _you_, he's just collateral. You may be currently helplessly tangled up with him, and I don't want any harm to come to you because of it."

"Why? What do you know?" she said.

Despite his overwhelming urge to rip John apart, she could feel Nikola's curiosity (and too his protectiveness) pique at John's words.


	26. Bursting the Bubble

**As always, THANK YOU PROFUSELY to all those who have reviewed. Please refer to chartreuseian for virtual Tesla-stache cookies (made from her involuntary slave labour and extensive whipping).**

\||\\

"I know enough to warrant concern," John said coolly. He was still glaring at the pair of them with fierce intensity. Though, whether it was elicited from his dislike for their connection or annoyance at their distrust of him she couldn't tell. She suspected the first, after all, he must be used to her cautiousness with him by now.

"Then I do appreciate you coming here to warn us," Helen said, diplomatically, "Whatever motivations prompted it."

Nikola bristled beside her, and she could feel his annoyance at her words.

_**Speak for yourself, Helen, **_he snapped and she winced. He softened at that, realising he was acting a little more harshly than necessary towards her when it wasn't really her fault. It was John's, he should be directing his anger at him.

_**Nikola, he's here to help us, **_she sent in what bordered on exasperation, obviously – and not surprisingly – having picked up on his thoughts. How he'd come to that 'rational' conclusion she didn't know.

_**Let's just see, shall we? **_He sent.

Even if John did have some useful information for them now, it would be prudent to treat it with care. As events unfolded, John's stories had a tendency to unravel and reveal new menacing elements. They were ones which neither of them had ever been particularly thrilled to play pawn to.

"Shall we sit?" Helen offered. They'd done this attempt at civility not long ago when John had first arrived. She hoped it would turn out better this time around. Her Victorian upbringing prevented her from being so rude as to _not _offer him a seat. She thought that in this instance a lack of an offer for tea would be forgiven.

"Interesting," John mused as he took his former seat, "that you have no qualms in playing at civility when you need something from me."

"Is this going to be a long winded rant of bitterness?" Nikola chimed in, this time sitting inappropriately close to Helen – for any era – on the couch. "Because if it is, maybe I'll take a nice little jaunt to the wine cellar."

"And leave me all alone with Helen? I hardly think you will," John bit back, the corners of his lip twitching in amusement as he gazed the nonexistent space between the telepathically linked duo.

_**Nikola, don't react to his provocations, **_Helen sent calmly. _**He wants to ruffle your feathers. **_

_**My feathers are not ruffled, **_he sent indignantly. She had to smile at the adorable pout in place on his face as he said it in a thoroughly ruffled manner.

"Is this going to be a particularly lengthy round of one-upmanship between the two of you? Perhaps I have time to finish off some paperwork." Helen said out loud, fixing both Nikola and John with a stern look. It was one that both men recognised well from their days as the Five. That look had effectively stemmed even the fiercest of men over the years, and both knew to steer clear of it at all costs.

"How sickeningly sweet," John commented scathingly, "But then again the two of you always did have the habit of speaking as such." He said in reference to her echoing Nikola's remark.

Helen had to stifle a sigh. They were going to get nowhere like this.

"Gentlemen, please, I do believe we have some important business to discuss?" she said.

"The ever pragmatic Dr Magnus takes the reins, some things really never change," John mused.

_**Don't say it, Nikola, **_Helen sent quickly, cutting off the response she could feel brewing in response to John's comment, _**or I shall be forced to gag you – and **_**not **_**in a good way. **_

_**You can take my reins anytime, Dr Magnus, **_he sent back cheekily instead.

_**Remind me to have a discussion with you about switching off your automatic responses, **_she absently sent teasingly.

"I did not come here to watch the two of you silently commune," John said. His voice had reverted back to that dark tone that always scared Helen a little every time she heard it, no matter how many times over the years she had. It was like a verbal reminder of what he was capable of, what he had done.

"Then I suggest to walk straight out the door and get on your merry way again," Nikola said, his hand finding Helen's knee in an out-right possessive gesture.

_**Nikola, when I said don't react to John's provocation, **_Helen sent with a sigh, _**I did not mean give him provocation to react to instead.**_

_**You really must work on being more specific with details, Dr Magnus, **_Nikola retorted innocently. _**It leaves room for much confusion.**_

_**Cheeky bugger, **_she responded.

"Perhaps I should just leave you two here," John said, "You evidently do not have concern for any possible threats posed, have you really lost so much sense of reality that you think yourselves that invincible?"

Helen froze, John's words affecting her more than she was comfortable with. She and Nikola had been trapped within a cycle of distraction ever since putting on the bracelets and developing their telepathy. Perhaps they had become complacent. There really shouldn't be any 'perhaps' about it, she knew they'd been wrapped up in each other to the point of obnoxiousness with others.

"If you truly were concerned for our – or at least my – safety," she said, "You'd just come out and say it, John. I grow tired of these charades."

"Hit a nerve?" he mused. Then he grew serious once more. "Did you truly think word would not spread of your 'condition'?"

"Who outside of the abnormal community would pay any attention?" Helen said, "Besides, who outside of the Sanctuary would be aware?" She narrowed her eyes.

She and Nikola were not particularly discreet of late in their behaviour, but they hadn't really been out in public together. They'd either been in the ancient vampiric tomb where this had all happened, or at the Sanctuary. That didn't give anyone much chance to witness them.

"You'd be surprised, my dear," John said, "What persistent people who are determined can dredge up."

"If you're suggesting someone from within the Sanctuary -," she said, but John cut her off with a raised hand.

"I was suggesting nothing of the sort, Helen," he said, "Merely that it has been brought to the attention of some, shall we say, less than desirable characters of your situation. Needless to say, a means of telepathic communication has piqued interest."

"What are you getting at, John?" she said.

"There's a research group," he said, "Not unlike the Cabal." His eyes settled on her sympathetically for the briefest of flashes at mention of the institution who took her daughter from her before he continued. "I suspect they have knowledge in regards to your latest mission. They are _very _interested indeed."

"Interested enough to pose a real threat?" Helen said, trying to deduce the level of threat they were dealing with. John could have simply come here to investigate for himself, and perhaps attempt to also kill Nikola.

"Yes, very much so," he said, gravely, "Helen, I say this with the utmost seriousness. You need to act with caution. Not solely the means for telepathic communication, but also the possibility of vampiric knowledge it could unlock... it is valuable."

"Who are these people?" Helen said, "Are they an organisation that we are already aware of? That the authorities are aware of?"

"That's just the thing, Helen," John said, "They _are _the authorities. It's a new creation, a division of Homeland Security – the Specified Counter Insurgency Unit, SCIU."

"Insurgency?" she said.

"Who would they be afraid of invading them?" Nikola said.

"Abnormal terrorist threats?" Helen said, bemusedly. "What could possibly prompt them to take such as drastic measure as to create a new division to counteract the threat?"

"Change is coming, Helen," John said, "They've been watching your dealings for a while now, as I have been watching them. I believe they are very much aware of Hollow Earth, and they wish to use ancient vampire technology to take some sort of pre-emptive action or strike."

"Pre-emptive?" Helen exclaimed, "Why are they so convinced there _is _a threat?"

"Turning a blind eye to a small group on the fringes of society is one thing," Nikola said, "But dealing with an entire civilisation of abnormals, _advanced _abnormals – more advanced than us? That's a whole new ball-park, Helen. Of course the human government feels threatened, blasted fools that they are. Do they not realise this could incite a war?"

"They're most likely hoping their 'weapon' with efficiently eradicate enough of Hollow Earth to mean there will be no war," John said.

"Bloody hell," Helen uttered. This was worse than she'd imagined.

||\\\

**Yes, I am aware I've taken a whole lot of liberties with plot-lines and such. But, then again, Helen and Nikola becoming telepathic was hardly canon (even if it should be). I just kind of wanted to bring SCIU into it without Nikola there. Bad SCIU. **


	27. Into The Black

**Hey!**

**Sorry I've been gone so long, real life is getting in the way on my crazy fangirling. :( Life has been pretty hectic lately, which is why I've also had little time to read other people's work on here. So I'm really sorry about that. I still love you all...inappropriately. :P**

**Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed, you guys rock. Love and Tesla cookies to all!**

\||\\

"They will stop at nothing, Helen," John said. "They seem to _want _war and they want whatever weapons the ancient vampires hid away. The vampires were the enemies of the Praxians after all."

"And we as humans are to take up that mantle then, are we?" she hissed. Mankind could be so bloody foolish sometimes, she more than anyone knew that all too well.

"They believe this _connection _of yours will somehow lead them to unlocking the secrets of the vampires," John said.

She felt a remark from Nikola brewing at John's disgusted annunciation of the word 'connection' and sent a mental caress to calm – and distract – him.

"We have to stop this madness," Helen said. John's lip quirked upwards.

"I had an inkling you would say that, my dear," he said.

"How impressive," Nikola drawled in annoyance, "But I _knew _she was going to say that."

John's eyes darkened as they darted to the vampire and his body lurched forward. Nikola remained where he was, claws ready to extend, challengingly.

_**Nikola, **_Helen sent warningly. _**Do not start a petty fight with him now. **_

_**I would not be starting it, Helen, **_Nikola sent back harshly.

The three of them stood in a tense stand-off in the middle of her office; John to her right and Nikola to her left, leaving Helen in the middle of the two age-old rivals. It was almost as it always had been.

"Well then," she said, "if they wish to use Nikola and my telepathic -,"

"Bond," Nikola chirped in.

"Yes, our bond," she said. "Then we shall have to have a little pre-emptive action of our own, shan't we?"

_**I do so love it when you get all brainy and determined, ljubav. **_

\||\\

"This is a stupid idea," Will said, "A really, _really _stupid idea."

"Yes, thank you Will," Helen said, "So you've been reminding me of for the last twenty minutes."

"Because it's a really stupid idea," Will reiterated, as though constantly repeating his assessment would dissuade his boss from her current course of action.

She simply fixed him with a look that was beyond indulgent amusement – that had been ten minutes ago – now it was just exasperation with a healthy dose of irritation.

_**I could kill him for you, **_Nikola's blasé tone commented idly in her mind.

_**Tempting as that offer is at the current point in time, **_Helen replied, _**I'm going to need someone to keep things in check here, we've no idea how long this will take.**_

She felt him give off a little huff.

Helen was standing at her laboratory work-bench in her lab-coat – which Nikola had reminded her made her look 'sexy scientist' – with Will right beside her. John was hovering a few metres away, leaning against another bench with narrowed eyes. It was as though he were trying to make up for his lack of telepathic communication with her by not letting her out of his sight. As annoying as it was, the only reason she suspected Nikola had not made a bigger display was because he knew no one could really compete with their bond. Even if a little nagging part of him lived in doubt.

Nikola himself was in Henry's lab with the young werewolf.

"I must say, Helen," John spoke – he'd been silent for a while now, "I find myself in agreement with your young protege here."

"Do you have a better suggestion?" she remarked, not looking up from the compound she was synthesizing at her bench.

_**Of course he doesn't, **_Nikola commented wryly, _**this is Johnny boy we're talking about. **_

She suppressed the urge to grin at his constant narrations. Though, the only reason she was allowing him this indulgence was because she knew John could not hear then and get riled up from them.

"But Helen," John said, taking a step toward her, "inducing a telepathic-coma? It could be dangerous beyond all foreseeable consequence. It could kill you!"

Will was edging to the door now, even he could feel the wrath of the Ripper coming on. After all, she and Nikola had skimped on many details to do with the extent of their bond – well, most of them really – when talking to John. They'd, for the most part, simply allowed John to make his own summations with the evidence presented to him.

"It won't," she said, straightening up and turning to face him, "Nikola and I have already, ah, experienced it."

"You induced such an experience?" he balked.

"Well, we didn't engineer the experience," she said, "However, with Nikola and I working on the bracelets I'm sure we will be able to mimic the process."

"They were unconscious for a while," Will piped in, "But it seemed safe."

"Safe?" John scoffed, "And who, pray tell, will be able to determine if something has gone terribly wrong?"

"It's a calculated risk, John!" she said, fiercely, "One that I am willing to take, as is Nikola."

She felt rage bubbling up within her at John's show of protectiveness; an emotion she wasn't quite sure was entirely her own, or a mixture of both hers and Nikola's.

"Don't you see how dangerous this telepathic bond is?" John said, his voice lowering whilst simultaneously growing louder. "It is putting you in danger. You should be working on a way to sever it! Not only is SCIU after you for it, but now apparently you've been falling victim to comas because of it!"

"It wasn't dangerous, John," she insisted, "It was at the temple. It was part of...part of the process of telepathy."

His eyes bore into her with frightening intensity, trying to figure out what it was she was keeping from him.

"This _bond_," he spat the word mockingly, "seems to be far more trouble than it's worth, Helen."

She felt a sudden bolt of fear rush through her body and was utterly confused by it momentarily. Then she realised it was not hers, but Nikola's. John's words had him almost paralysed with fear and she realised it was because he was afraid she believed them too. That John had given her the idea to sever the bond, and that it was all proving to be far more trouble than good.

"How dare you say that?" she hissed.

"All you have to do is look at the facts, Helen," John spat, "Nikola has always been a magnet for disaster and he never had any qualms in dragging you into it with him!"

"That is my husband you are talking about," Helen said in a low, even tone, "It would do you well to remember that next time you decide to try and convince me to turn on him. He's a better man than you ever were, or will be, and I love him with all my heart. I've loved him for years."

John's eyes widened and he stood in abject shock at her words.

"Insulting him is no way to convince me of anything, John," she said, "You're only here because you proved to have decent motives. If you do not approve of our methods, or anything else," she added pointedly, "you are free to leave."

"Helen -," he began in a dangerously toxic voice.

"I have work to do," she cut him off, turning back to her bench. She leant on the surface on both hands, eyes closed.

The anger pumping through her – her own now – was slowly ebbed away by Nikola's soothing presence in her mind. She could almost feel his heart beating in time with hers as their minds connected silently, no words mental or otherwise needed. It was enough simply to feel each other there, close by.

_**Please, Nikola, **_she said after a long few moments. She didn't even know if John were still present or not, nor did she care. All she could focus on was Nikola. _**Please.**_

She was begging him, willing him, to believe in them – to believe in her love for him – as much as she did. She couldn't have him doubting it, not anymore. She knew that John was a sore spot for him just as it had always been for her. It had always made Nikola feel insecure about her affections, always wondering if maybe she would choose John (free of the energy beast) should she be presented the opportunity. She needed him to know that she would never choose anyone but him, no matter the circumstance. She was his, completely, wholly, irrevocably his.

No matter how much that thought used to terrify her, it no longer did.

_**I was yours since the moment I laid eyes on you at Oxford all those years ago, **_Nikola responded. _**Since before I even knew it myself, moja ljubav. **_

She realised that he was no longer scared either.

_**Whatever happens, we face it together, **_she said, using the words she'd said to him (not completely innocently) not that long ago.

_**This time, I have vows to back me up on that, **_he replied. She smiled affectionately.

\||\\

Helen and Nikola stood in her lab side by side. Will, Kate, Henry and the Big Guy were there too. John had skulked away somewhere, no doubt brooding over his news of Helen and Nikola's relationship.

"Are you sure this is...safe?" Kate said.

Big Guy had laid out two stretcher-beds side by side in the lab (of course, the sides touching so that they would not be far). Nikola had managed to build a small device that he believed would replicate the effects of the pillars in the temple. In addition, Helen's drug was one she believed would mimic the effects of the initial shock their bodies had undergone. It was rushed work, but both Helen and Nikola had felt a sort of driving force guiding them both. Perhaps more had rubbed off on them than simply telepathy through the bracelets.

"Of course not," Nikola said, "But that's what makes it all the more exhilarating."

_**Don't toy with them like that, **_Helen sent amusedly as she prepared two syringes.

_**Well, we're not sure if it is completely safe, **_he reasoned.

_**And you're so averse to misleading them? **_She retorted, _**what an inconvenient time for you to become scrupulous.**_

_**You know you love me, **_he replied.

_**You really have to stop using that as a blanket counter argument to everything, **_Helen sent back.

_**But it works, every time, **_he sent back happily.

_**Cheeky bugger, **_was her only response.

"Alright, I think we're about ready," she said.

"Magnus, what do you expect to find?" Will said.

"I don't know, Will," Helen said, "Really... but I know this is something we have to do. I can feel it." She looked over at Nikola. "Both of us felt a compulsion to return to the caves, we knew it was what we had to do. It's a similar feeling now."

"Not that we expect your tiny brain to comprehend," Nikola added for good measure.

"Lie down," Helen ordered, exasperatedly. Nikola grinned at her choice of words. "Don't say it." That only made his grin widen.

Nikola lay on the bed on the right. Helen, handing the syringe off to her old friend, crawled onto the other bed. Her hand found Nikola's almost instantly in an instinctive gesture.

"Sure about this?" her old friend said.

Helen gave him a reassuring smile and nodded.

"Flip the switch, junior," Nikola said. Henry looked bemused for a second before realising Nikola was referring to the small palm-sized device that would emulate the pillars. He pressed the switch in the centre of the small coil of wires and it hummed ominously to life.

"Well, it's kind of creepy like those glowing pillars," Henry commented.

"Yes, that was high on my priority list," Nikola rolled his eyes.

_**Nikola, **_Helen sent exasperatedly.

She nodded at the Big Guy, who hesitated only a few seconds before injecting Nikola with the serum. He waited a moment or two to make sure nothing bad happened before injecting his friend with it.

_**I wonder if our good friend the creepy vampire priest will be there... **_was the last thing Helen heard before she blacked out.

\||\\

**Excuse my obvious lack of knowledge in the areas of science. Not my thing, guys. **


	28. Dreaming Reality II

**Hey my lovely Teslenites. It's time to get weird and subconscious again. In the chapter I mean, not together. Though we could try that too if you like. I don't even know what I'm talking about right now. I need sleep. But then I was like I better upload this chapter tonight. So I did...am. I am seriously going to stop now before I get truly weird(er) – not possible, really.**

**Anyway, one more thing, thank you so much everyone for your beyond amazing reviews. You are all super awesome with extra sides of fantastic. I feel I'm starting to border on getting weird again so I'm going to stop and let you get on with the chapter. **

\||\\

_**Helen...?**_

A heavy silence had found its way to him, and apparently made itself far too comfortable, for it was where he had remained for what seemed like eternity. Or perhaps it was just the absence of her presence in his mind that had him feeling so empty, and made the timeframe feel much lengthier. The last thing Nikola could recall was taking the synthesized drug and falling into unconsciousness; the last feeling, that of Helen's hand in his, fingers intertwined just like their minds.

_**Helen?**_

Everything was dark. Everything was silent. This was just great. Even their creepy priest would have been better than this, he was just about ready to start counting seconds.

Then he felt it, a tiny nagging feeling worming its way through him and spreading warmth with it. It had his heart beating frantically, and he hadn't even realised how nervous he'd been until the relief flooded through him.

_**Miss me?**_ If he weren't so relieved he would have at least pretending to be indignant at her pointed and knowing remark.

Slowly, just as the emptiness of his lonesome mind had melted away, the darkness followed. He (or at least an image of him in his subconscious) was standing in a small, dimly lit cavern. The walls emanated with a soft green glow, almost crystalline in texture.

Helen stood beside him, and he couldn't help but note how utterly breath-taking she looked in the dim light.

_**Thank you. **_Her response was not as heavily tinged with amusement as it may usually have been, or laced with the exasperation of a week ago.

_**Where do you suppose we are? **_He sent.

_**The glow of the walls is somewhat similar to that of the pillars. **_Helen mused.

_**So, it's fairly safe to assume we're in the right place? **_He returned. She smiled indulgently over at him.

_**I must admit, **_she responded, _**I am surprised. I was not entirely convinced it would be successful in practice.**_

_**You mean to only tell me **_**now **_**that this is one of those 'jump off the cliff hoping to sprout wings' missions? **_He responded.

_**Ah, but darling, those are the best kind, **_she said. He grinned back at her.

They both jumped as a distracting – even enough to draw the pair away from each other – and loud noise rumbled from the wall to Nikola's right. He glared at the offending wall for a fraction of a second before his look turned to one of interest. Helen curiously edged closer to him in her physical-manifestation.

_**Or perhaps your little drug didn't work as you'd hoped and we're both just hallucinating as a result of it instead? **_He sent. For once, being close to her was not to his advantage as she reached out and smacked his arm.

_**Ow, **_he whined, _**I can still feel pain you know.**_

_**I'm very aware of that, **_she remarked with a sweet smile.

_**People think I'm the mean one, **_he grumbled.

She'd already turned her attention away from her whining lover and back to the wall, however. It was rumbling again and she went to stand closer to it, almost pressing her ear against the faintly glowing surface. She reached out to touch it and recoiled instantly.

_**It burns, **_she hissed.

_**I know, **_he replied, having felt the sensation himself through her, if in a somewhat muted fashion.

He strode over to her in two steps, taking her hand in his and inspecting it.

_**Its fine, Nikola, really, **_she said in slight exasperation. _**It's not a bad burn, just a quick scald when I touched the surface.**_

_**In my experience, **_he said, letting her hand return to her side but with it still in his, _**when unidentified technology burns you in your subconscious-state, it should not be taken idly.**_

_**You'd have a lot of experience with that particular scenario then would you? **_She replied. _**Frolic around a lot in your subconscious touching random technologies? **_

_**You're one to judge, I'm not the one who got high with Freud and Jung, **_Nikola remarked pointedly.

_**Yes, well, **_she said, flustered, _**in the name of scientific endeavour...**_

_**Right, **_he remarked. _**That's what we were doing all those times at Oxford while partaking in experimenting with cheap wine?**_

_**Of course, **_she responded. _**Anyway, I daresay I was supposed to touch it.**_

_**Oh, and why have you so confidently arrived at that conclusion? **_

_**It's moving, **_she responded with a triumphant smirk.

Nikola turned to see that the rock wall was indeed moving. It slid away to reveal a passageway, the walls made of the same material, and just as dimly lit.

_**If we run into any vampires, **_Nikola sent, _**we should tell them they really ought to think about redecorating. It's just so dismal looking in here.**_

_**Yes, I'm sure that'll be a prominent avenue for discussion, **_she sent back as she entered the passage. Nikola soon followed.

\||\\

In the lab, the 'children' stood watching in states ranging from confusion to concern as Magnus and Tesla descended into uncomfortably familiar unconscious slumbers. The expressions on their faces, and the position they lay in, were disturbingly matching.

"Do you think it worked?" Henry said, frowning in concern at Magnus's still form. The heart-rate monitor the Big Guy had attached was beating with a steady rhythm. The usually so comforting sound was not so much so now, however, for the young HAP.

"I mean," he continued, "I know 'experimental' is the norm around here but...this is..."

"Whacked?" Kate supplied.

"So whacked," Henry agreed. "I really hope the Doc knows what she's doing."

He would trust Magnus to the ends of the earth and back ten times around, hell he'd trust her to the ends of the universe and beyond if it came down to it. But sometimes when she put herself at risk in these types of unprecedented situations, he couldn't help but feel nervous. Life without the eccentric doctor just wasn't imaginable.

"She's the boss, of course she does," Kate said, comfortingly. "Besides, she has Vlad with her. Say what you will about him," she looked pointedly at Will now, "But he sure as hell isn't going to let anyone or anything harm Magnus."

\||\\

_**Oh look, how exhilarating, more passage! **_Nikola remarked.

_**It really hasn't been **_**that **_**long, Nikola, **_Helen responded amusedly.

She didn't know how long they'd been walking for, or if time really held such significant meaning in this bizarre unconscious state.

_**You'd think we'd just materialise at our destination or something, **_he continued. _**Leg work hardly seems necessary in a dream-world.**_

She couldn't really fault that logic. As if the dream-world had picked up his thoughts, and complaints, a light materialised ahead of them and steadily grew stronger until they were standing at the entrance of a larger cavern.

They were standing at the precipice, and yet a thin veil of white light was preventing them from entering. Inside, just beyond reach, the cavern was quite similar to the one in which they'd found the bracelets. Nikola would have thought it was the same one had the two pillars not been replaced by two thrones on the platform instead. The two platforms briefly flashed, glowing quite like the pillars, before the image disappeared.

Before either of them had the chance to ponder the image, another appeared in front of them. Just like before, the white veil prevented entry, however the room looked just as tangibly close.

This room was smaller, a laboratory of sorts. The walls and floor were of a dark marble, almost black. The benches were made of the same material. A spattering of bizarre devices was littered across the bench-tops.

_**Helen, **_Nikola sent. He need not continue, he could feel she'd noticed too. The bracelets were among the objects on the benches.

The image flashed again, this time was of the cavern where they had stumbled so unpreparedly across Afina. One of the panels on the wall glowed significantly, the symbols almost insistently flashing. Before either of them could contemplate what it meant, the image dissolved. This time, they were greeted with a wall, the end of the passageway.

Helen turned to Nikola, curiosity jointly coursing through both of their individual beings. But before they had the chance to speak the walls around them dissolved too and they were swallowed up by an uncomfortable darkness.

_**This is familiar...**_

Helen heard Nikola's mental remark before she felt herself losing consciousness – or gaining it, more likely.

||\\|

Will almost jumped as Magnus's eyes shot open. He'd been making sure all her vitals were fine and therefore standing quite close to his boss when she woke up. He stumbled back as she and Nikola both sat up, eerily at the same time.

"Bloody hell," she uttered. "That was..."

"Trippy?" Kate offered.

Helen was too dazed to even fix the younger woman with a look.

"Did you get the symbols?" Helen said to Nikola.

"Come on, ljubav," he said – and Helen wondered upon the bemused expressions of her colleagues if it was the first time he'd used the foreign endearment out loud, "This is me, of course I did – and I _know _you did too, you can't hide from me in there."

_**Well you don't have to teeter on the side of creepiness when you put it like that, Nikola, **_Helen sent.

"Symbols?" Will said, trying desperately to catch up, "It worked then?"

"Did you doubt that it would?" Nikola said, shooting an amused look in Helen's direction.

_**Nikola, stop torturing Will, **_she sent, as she stood up from the gurney, _**we have more pressing matters to attend to. Or would you rather not find out what the message means?**_

He sighed dramatically in response and stood up as well.

_**At least I have favourable memories of playing with technology in the library with you, **_he sent. Images of them standing with her arms wrapped around him in the library as he'd encased them in an energy force field flashed through her mind, courtesy of his own mind.

"Okay, are we leaving...where are we going?" Henry said, as both Helen and Nikola moved to the door. "You guys do remember we can't hear you right? Which is a good thing by the way because I so do not need to hear you flirt any more than I already do..."

"Nikola and I need to cross-reference some symbol translations," Helen explained, turning back to them at the door.

"So you saw symbols?" Will said.

"Among other things," Helen replied, cryptically. She wasn't yet ready to divulge with them the other images, the other rooms, feeling she and Nikola needed to figure it out by themselves first.

_**Have I mentioned keeping up that air of mystery of yours is sexy? **_Nikola said in response to her less-than informative explanation to her team.

_**Oh Nikola, I doubt you'll ever stop.**_


	29. All Debts Paid

**Hello everyone. :)**

**So here's another chapter for you. I know some people were asking where Johnny skulked off to...he's in this chapter. Yay...or not maybe. **

**As always THANK YOU a million gazillion times for the lovely responses from everyone. I should try and find a not so utterly unoriginal way to thank you every chapter but... you know, I haven't yet so you'll have to settle for virtual hugs whether you want them or not. :)**

\|||\

Nikola took a long, indulgent moment to admire the view as Helen climbed up upon the small step-ladder to retrieve the sought after volume. Considering she and Will had left the book out on one of the tables not two days ago, she suspected Nikola had a hand in making sure it was properly returned to its place – too high for her to reach without climbing on something.

_**You know me too well, ljubav, **_he sent.

_**I would deign that a rather obsolete sentiment, Nikola, **_she remarked as she grasped the book with her outstretched hand, _**I am in your mind after –**_

Her mental statement was cut-off by a little yelp as she lost her balance, teetering precariously on the little step-ladder. Her inevitable meeting with the ground was prevented by two firm hands grasping her waist.

"I always did dream about you falling into my arms," he breathed in her ear, sending a pleasurable shiver up her spine. She pressed herself instinctively back against him, revelling in the feel of being encased physically by him.

"All you had to do was ask," she teased softly; both of them knowing their relationship had always been infinitely riddled with more complexities than that, but affording themselves a lightness now to avoid lament.

Not extricating herself from his embrace, and indeed snuggling in closer, Helen opened the book she had so perilously sought. Nikola pressed a soft kiss to her chin as she flicked the pages. She sent him an absent mental-nuzzle in response.

_**There, **_he sent and she paused in her page-turning.

"I thought I'd seen it before," he remarked, of one of their more difficult symbols.

"No wonder we couldn't immediately translate," Helen returned, "It's a location."

"So, what we just did was akin to some sort of technological map reading jaunt?" he smirked. She grinned.

"Perish the thought that Nikola Tesla shares DNA with a race of beings who do things the easy way," she teased.

"I'd stop being mean about the vampires if I were you, Helen," he said, "Or our friend the vampire-priest might come back and refuse to leave your mind, haunting you for all of time..."

"I already have a vampire in my mind doing just that," she said sweetly.

_**I'd better be the only vampire in your mind, **_he threatened half-heartedly.

_**Oh, of course you're the only vampire, **_she sent, _**but as for other abnormals, I can't make any promises...**_

_**You take far too much pleasure in seeing me suffer, you know that? **_He sent, with a light tone, _**Here I am, bearing my heart and soul and you do nothing but tease me! Oh cruel wench, what are you doing to my poor, faithful heart?**_

_**Oh dear Lord, **_she sent, _**I've unleashed your melodrama. Now I shall never get a moment's peace.**_

_**Yes, remember that, **_Nikola remarked. _**If you're mean to me, I shall keep talking in your mind until you relent and love me again. I may even begin to recite Shakespeare... **_

_**Oh very well, I'll love you all the time then, **_Helen sent with a dramatic sigh. _**Happy?**_

_**Interminably so, **_he replied in a hum.

_**I'm sure you meant to say 'insufferably so', **_she remarked dryly.

Shaking her head, Helen turned her attention (or at least as much of it as she could) back to the book. She flipped a few pages before they jointly noticed the next symbol. They continued on in this manner until they'd found a translation for each of the six symbols, working in a symmetry that required no need for any verbal or overt communication.

Usually, one or both of them was adept in reading and translating ancient vampiric symbols but these had thrown them slightly. They'd both assumed they were numbers, or something of the sort, but it seemed the vampires (unsurprisingly) used a different method for longitude and latitude than humans did nowadays.

"This is ridiculous, how are we ever supposed to figure out where this is?" Nikola demanded. "We know the map co-ordinates but have no idea how to read them."

Helen frowned thoughtfully.

"We just may have a way to read them," she said. "Afina's tomb, I didn't make much of it then but there was a line of six symbols attached to the translated Praxian location."

"Why didn't you mention this before?" he said.

"When was it ever particularly relevant?" she said, shaking her head. "Come on, we'll go to my office to enter the digits in my computer."

_**Do you know how sexy you sound when you say things like that? **_He said.

_**Of course, I simply do so to drive you mad, **_she retorted.

The pair of scientists made their way to Helen's office, hand firmly clasped in hand. Nikola marvelled at the delightful whir of Helen's mind as it buzzed with thoughts and possibilities. They were on the verge of discovery and, though seeing the process reflected on her face had always been stunning, watching it in her mind was beyond breath-taking.

Each party distracted, neither initially noticed the presence of another in her office until they'd made it half-way to her computer console.

"John!" Helen said, "You startled us. What are you doing in here?"

The man, who had been sitting on her couch, glass of scotch in hand, rose to his feet slowly.

"I am waiting for you," he said.

Helen eyed him with concern and trepidation, noting the darkened features and all-too familiar spark in his icy eyes. Sometimes, she hated being able to read his moods for they often led to terrible deeds of which Helen could not stand the thought. She hated seeing the bloodlust return, knowing it on his face, but being unable to prevent it. It always made her remember that look back then, and the devastating heart-ache that had come with it. It had broken her heart then.

"We're busy, John," she said firmly.

"Always busy," he hissed, "You and _Tesla. _Always darting about with some experiment, some inane plot, some crazy deed..."

He looked quite manic now.

"John, you're not yourself," she said. She wasn't completely sure whether it was his energy beast, or that he had partaken in one too many drinks, that was causing this outburst now. She was inclined to believe it was John himself, as it was almost as if this were the man from Oxford. He'd always been wary of her relationship with Nikola then and the way he was speaking was almost nostalgic. "Go and sober up, I have work to do."

Anger, pure and unrestrained flashed across his face. It had always been a magnificently intimidating picture on him.

"You never loved me did you? You strung me along and allowed me to play the part of the romantic idiot," John spat. "Were you carrying on with him every time I turned my back?"

His harsh words were usually so eloquent and controlled, even in the height of anger, which was one of the things that made him so menacing. Now, however, he was volatile and loud, his emotions everywhere.

"You played the part well, Helen," he growled, "You had me quite fooled of your innocence." His lip curled upwards in a pained expression and he, quite suddenly, chucked the tumbler of alcohol so that it crashed against her mantle, the shards of glass littering the rug in front. Helen flinched, but Nikola's steady presence behind her soothed her.

"But you're nothing more than a manipulative whore, are you?" he said, "Keeping us men hooked, ready to jump at your beckoned call, all the time masquerading as some noble crusader! We're mere actors playing on the stage so craftily controlled by its mistress. We're all dispensable to you, to your precious cause. Even our _daughter _was -"

"Druitt, that's enough," Nikola spat dangerously.

He took a step toward the other man, his age old rival, with his claws out and eyes dark. He'd felt Helen's heart ache when John had brought up Ashley; the wound was still so fresh, so raw. It was one that would never really heal.

"I decide when it's enough!" John bellowed, producing a blade from the inside of his long leather jacket.

He'd always been swift on his feet, alarmingly so. Luckily Nikola's vampire reflexes allowed him to block the swipe from Druitt before it landed on either himself or on Helen. He wasn't quite sure who the man had actually been aiming for, but he was most certainly not in his right mind – even for John. Even in his madness, John never really tried very hard to seriously hurt Helen. After all, he would have had ample opportunity in the past to have killed her if he'd wanted. But that wasn't what he wanted, what he wanted was _her_, to posses her.

But right now, Nikola could see a madness in his eyes that was not just Jack but something else. The unbridled anger and hurt that resided there scared Nikola, because it was aimed at Helen. He was afraid John would do something very stupid in this state. He wanted to hurt Helen, to make her feel pain like she had made him feel. Nikola would not let that happen.

Nikola matched each of John's aggressive attacks with one of his claws, the man's usual finesse dimmed somewhat by his rage. The attacks became a frenzied flurry of blade jabs however, one catching Nikola across the chest in a painful swish. He heard Helen let out a small gasp behind him and he supposed that answered their question about whether her shooting him would cause herself harm. He managed to catch John on the arm in a long scratch, and doubted the man noticed much.

In their blind barrage of blows, neither noticed Helen dart over to her desk only to return moments later. She had her gun held up high, aimed directly at John.

"That's enough," she said.

John paused but did not put down his blade.

"I said, that's enough," she ground out firmly.

Her gun was aimed at his chest and neither doubted that, should she shoot, the bullet would reach its target. She was too good a shot for it not to.

John, it seemed, was not completely convinced she _would _shoot him however as he lunged for Nikola with a feral growl. Nikola, whose eyes had been on Helen, was unprepared for the sudden move from his opponent and prepared himself for a blow. He was met with the sound of a shot. The bullet had pierced the right side of his chest. John let out a guttural sounding grunt and then grinned menacingly. As he fell forward, he teleported in a flash of light, to reappear moments later behind Nikola. It took Nikola an agonisingly long moment to realise what John and done, the intense pain kicking in a delayed reaction it seemed. John had re-used his little trick from Rome. The shields should have been up, but they'd been hoping John would decide to leave. He was already there after all, what more harm could it do?

The man teleported once more, this time not reappearing in the room at all. Helen didn't really care where he was at the moment, too busy worrying about Nikola. An almost blinding pain tore through her body, and she blinked rapidly as tears formed in her eyes out of both pain and fear for Nikola. He doubled over, his body falling with almost eerie slowness to the ground.

"Oh God," Helen gasped, feeling her own legs buckle beneath her. Her gun clattered to the ground in front of her as she struggled on her hands and knees to reach Nikola. His mind wasn't coherent enough to speak to her, their jointly felt pain confusing any attempt at telepathic communication.

She crawled over to him, hands instantly seeking out his wound. This was much too similar to Afina's tomb, the gaping wound in his abdomen leaking so much blood. This time he was a vampire though, he could heal from this, couldn't he? He was so pale. His hands were shaking as one found her, indiscriminately waving in front of him just to touch her.

What she'd thought were mindless thoughts swirling about their minds she actually came to realise, with a start, was him repeating her name in an almost chant-like manner in his mind.

"Magnus what the hell, we heard a gun-shot -," Will's voice floated into the room, wafting over her with a dream-like quality. The faces of her team-mates swam in her blurred vision. She hadn't realised her vision was blurred before, Nikola was still in perfect focus.

She zoned them out after that, just focusing on Nikola. With a little whimper, she relented to the strong pull of the ground and rested her head beside his, one hand on his chest finding comfort in its movement, the other still futilely trying to stop his bleeding.

\|||\

***ducks objects thrown by angry Tesla fans***

**Don't hate me?**


	30. Tests

**Thank you so much everyone for your beyond amazing reviews and kind words. *MASSIVE HUGS TO EVERYONE***

\||\\

After a brief, dragging moment where the world almost seemed to slow to a halt, everything seemed to quicken in its pace. Once the others had snapped out of their reverie at the sight of their bloodied boss and her vampire huddled in a heap on the floor, they sprung to action like the well-oiled and experienced Sanctuary team they were – all things bizarre was their trade, and chaos their fuel. The fact that this was Magnus and Tesla and not a pair of unknown abnormals only presented itself fleetingly, the sentiment being pushed aside by necessity in the race to preserve life.

Before long they had managed to transport the couple down to the infirmary, Will's own hands having replaced Magnus's to hinder the blood flowing freely from Tesla's gaping wound. He was fairly sure Magnus herself wasn't hurt, not physically anyway. The Big Guy took over the moment they had Nikola in the surgery, pushing the others aside and instructing them with low, short but pointed grunts. Kate, though her eyes were wide and her own heart pounding, served as an efficient nurse.

"Move her," Biggie grunted, sympathetic eyes resting on his old friend as he visually inspected her vampire lover's wound.

"I...I don't know if we should," Henry said from beside Will.

"Hard to operate with her curled around him," the Big Guy pointed out.

As true as that was, Will contemplated whether moving her from his side was a good idea. They had no idea the effect Tesla's injury was having on Magnus, and she seemed quite jolted – she had fainted after all. Still, from what they could thus far tell, it was Tesla who was physically in danger. They would have to take their chances, after all Magnus would want them to do everything they could to save Tesla.

"I don't think we have a choice, Henry," Will said softly. "We can put her on the other gurney while Biggie works so she's close to him."

Henry seemed to consider this before nodding. The HAP's senses were telling him that it was important Magnus remained close to Tesla. He could just feel it. Somehow he knew that their telepathic connection meant more than just sending mental thoughts, that Tesla's chances were increased with her proximity; that he _needed _her there.

Will and Henry extricated their boss carefully from Tesla's arms, both feeling slightly guilty as they did so. The guilt was only amplified when she whimpered softly at the shift after they deposited her gently on the other gurney, the Big Guy already springing to action in his work on Tesla.

Will took the opportunity to take a step back and survey the scene. Biggie was working furiously, though confusedly, on Tesla's wound. None of them, including the Sasquatch, actually knew how well Tesla could heal himself – particularly from a wound of this serious nature. They didn't want to take the chance he wouldn't heal, however, by not doing anything. Despite the knowledge that it was incredibly hard to kill a vampire, they all knew it was possible. Magnus herself had described a variety of colourful and very painfully creative methods herself time and again when she'd been in a foul mood with Nikola during one of his unexpected visits to the Sanctuary.

Will studied Magnus now, watching her face closely. He frowned. She had a look of intense pain about her features. He looked over to Henry; the man himself was frowning too. Will had assumed she would feel something if Tesla was injured – whether that be simple whining from the man or actual physical hurt – but he wondered just how much she felt now. If she was feeling the same amount of physical pain he was then they were in trouble.

"We have to do something," Henry said.

"What can we do?" Will said, "We have no idea what effect that will have...or what's happening to her at all!"

"Look at her, Will," Henry said, sadly.

For the expression in place on her face, she may as well have sustained the injury herself.

"Perhaps we should give her some morphine," Will suggested. It surely couldn't hurt.

"I think they're pretty beyond morphine now," Henry said. "But it's worth a shot."

Will nodded, walking over to the bench to prepare a syringe. He administered the drug into her arm. Her face was still twisted with pain, but he hoped it would at least make a little bit of difference.

"Hey, Magnus," he said softly. "I hope this eases the pain a bit." He glanced behind him to see if any of the others were watching, but their attention was focused on the ailing vampire. "Look...I know I haven't been the best about this whole telepathic communication thing or...whatever it is...with you and Tesla...but, we – I – really need you to get better, okay?"

He sighed, before turning and joining Henry once again in his position. They could only watch and wait now as the Big Guy attempted to save Tesla, and Magnus.

|\\||

Everything was a hazy mess of pain and confusion, of loneliness. It's like she was lost in a sea of raging thoughts, a chaotic jumble of both hers and Nikola's. She could feel his panic, his pain, his desperation as he reached out to her mentally but found nothing but the same clutter she could. She wanted to scream, not out of pain but of frustration. Her mind was reaching out to him too, so needily, but it was like trying to grasp wisps of smoke.

She briefly recalled feeling being lifted up onto something, a gurney probably, as she got flashes on the real world and what her team was doing but she kept slipping back out of consciousness. Nikola remained unconscious she knew, mercifully.

She didn't know how long they stayed like that, floating about in a blinding hurt and cold at being alone. But, slowly, warmth started to fill her and she could see again. Or, at least, she was in a mental world again. The pain was ebbing away to a dull ache and she could feel Nikola's presence growing stronger, clearer, until she could see him (or his mental representation) beside her.

_**Seriously, again? **_He sent at their arrival in this mental world, looking bemusedly down at his apparently healed abdomen.

_**Oh God, Nikola! **_She couldn't even reprimand him for his cheekiness as she threw her arms around him in relief.

_**Miss me that much, did you? **_He sent, though the tenderness to his tone suggested he was anything but teasing.

She pulled away, sniffling back the tears, and smacked him on the chest a little harder than necessary but no less than he deserved.

_**Bloody intolerable vampire! **_She sent.

He grinned.

_**And, yet, here you are, **_he returned, _**tolerating me.**_

She eyed him with a mixture of overwhelming fondness – like she wanted to cling to him just to make sure he was alright – and annoyance – like she wanted to slap him again. Nikola seemed to sense the bubbling emotions in her so he grabbed her hand, half out of desire to touch her and half to make sure she didn't slap him.

_**For what it's worth, **_he sent, _**you **_**know **_**I missed you too. Dying is no fun without you.**_

She softened her gaze, before glancing around them. They were in a cavern very similar to all of the ones they'd been in before.

_**Do you suppose that's where we are? **_She sent. _**Theoretically, it is quite possible that we're both now deceased.**_

_**You're in a cheerful mood today, ljubav, **_he remarked. She shot him a look.

_**Think about it, Nikola, **_she sent, _**the wound John inflicted was fairly substantial and it is quite possible that, even with your vampiric healing, you did not survive. **_

_**Then I guess that answers our question of if you shot me, would you feel it too, **_he remarked, looking around himself now too.

"You're not dead," a familiar voice said, cheerily.

They both jumped, turning around together almost comically, to see the vampire priest from before standing there. His hands were clasped in front of him as he rocked back and forth on his heels, a smile plastered on his face. He looked as though he'd been waiting for them, expecting them. Helen supposed he had.

"Oh, how comforting," Nikola remarked dryly. "And how comforting that you're here with us."

Helen elbowed him before he could continue with anything inevitably more insulting.

"How lovely," the man said, grin widening, deliberately ignoring the sarcasm.

"Yes, isn't it," Nikola said.

"If we're not dead," Helen said, "Then what is the purpose of us being here? And why do we no longer feel the pain we must be experiencing in our physical forms?"

"So many questions," the man said.

Nikola and Helen stood expectantly, but the man did not speak further, merely staring at them with a grin on his face.

"Do you intent to address any of our _many _questions?" Helen said, prompting him.

"Yes, I suppose I will," the man said, then paused again.

"Well that just seems deliberately evasive," Nikola said dryly. "I'm beginning to think this guy just likes messing with us, Helen."

"So impatient," the man said.

"Yes, well, we'd rather like to know what's going on with our physical selves," Nikola said, "Last time we recall, we were – what was it? – oh yes, dying! So forgive us being rash."

"I assure you," the man said with a hint of amusement laced into his tone, "Your physical forms will be fine; you have a good team there, they'll do everything possible to heal you. Your vampire DNA will take care of most of it, however."

Nikola smirked, and Helen suppressed a sigh.

"They showed concern for you too," the man said to Helen, "Though they were unsure of what they could do, ignorant as they are of your bond."

"They injected me with something, morphine for the pain?" she said, guessing.

The man nodded.

"A nice sentiment," he said of Will's injection, "But it didn't really have an effect."

"Does this mean we're not dead or going to die anytime in the near future?" Nikola said, "You know, just so we're all on the same wavelength and all that."

Helen smirked and the man smiled indulgently.

"I have every confidence that your body will heal itself," he said, "Painful as that process will be due to the nature of the wound."

Nikola winced, last time he'd sustained such a wound had been anything but pleasant.

"Good old Johnny boy still knows how to pack a good punch," he said darkly.

"Why do we not feel the pain anymore?" Helen inquired.

"That is my doing," the vampire said, "While you are here, you will feel none of the pain."

"So you're like a narcotic?" Nikola smirked, "I knew there was something nefarious about you."

Helen sent a mental poke to Nikola, sharply reminding him that said narcotic was helping them, so it would be wise not to aggravate him.

"Thank you, Helen," the man said. She'd forgotten momentarily that he could read their thoughts too.

"Why do I feel like you're both ganging up on me?" Nikola complained.

"Come now, Niko," Helen soothed, "It must be a feeling you're used to by now." He shot her a scowl but she continued to smile innocently.

"Before you get any further with your flirting," the man interrupted smoothly, "I believe we have some business to tend to."

"We do?" Nikola said.

"Yes, of course," the man responded. "You've passed the test of your bond."

Helen and Nikola stood in confusion, staring at the man blankly.

"Forgive us if we sound somewhat ignorant," Helen said carefully, "But I was under the impression we'd already experienced that? Did we not successfully prove this before the last time we were here?"

"Helen," the vampire said, "Vampire bonds are very strong and very powerful things, you did not think that it would be so simple did you?"

"Of course we didn't," Nikola drawled, "We were just pretending to be surprised before for the fun of it."

"Let's call this stage two to alleviate any confusion you may be experiencing," the vampire said. "With a telepathic bond such as yours, as you well know by now, mortal physical peril is a shared experience."

"Lucky for us," Nikola grimaced. He glanced over at Helen, guilt bubbling within him at the thought of her having to go through more pain at John's hand.

"What you may not have realised," the vampire continued, "Is you had the opportunity to terminate the bond yourself. If you had done so," he was looking at Helen directly now, "then you would have been spared the pain and possible death."

"Then this is an equivalent of a vampiric test of true devotion?" Helen mused.

"Apparently, my kind takes 'till death do we part' very seriously," Nikola said.

"Think of it as an insurance policy," the vampire said, "Just to make sure."

"You'd think with all this telepathy that would be a moot point," Nikola said.

"As I said, a bond such as this is a powerful thing," he said, "And with it comes responsibility. One can never be too careful."

Helen nodded in understanding.

_**I didn't consider it for a second, **_she sent to Nikola. _**Leaving you...**_

_**I know, **_he responded.

Drawing her eyes away from Nikola once again before they got lost there indefinitely, she turned back to the other vampire.

"You said responsibility," Helen said. "What do you mean by that?"

"She's a bright one," the vampire man said amusedly. "Now I can share with you what you have been seeking."

"A perfect bottle of wine?" Nikola guessed.

"Really, Nikola, wine?" Helen said.

"Don't pretend like you don't want the perfect drop, Helen," Nikola said.

"He's not a genie, Nikola," Helen said exasperatedly, "This isn't like having three wishes and being sent on our merry way."

"I'll just interrupt you there," their host said, bemusement evident on his face, "You two have always amused and baffled me, always bickering."

Both Helen and Nikola shared a look of confusion.

"What do you mean by 'always'?" Helen asked.

"Oh I've been watching the pair of you for some time," the man explained. "I could sense your bond from the time you both met at your beloved Oxford. I'd known all along of your fate. I've just been waiting for the right time."

"Wait," Nikola said, "If you _knew _we were meant to be, couldn't you have just ...materialised and told us to jump each other or something?"

The man chuckled, rocking back on his heels once more before answering.

"This is a delicate process," he said, "You had to be ready. Some vampire couples' courtships went beyond the century you two experienced." He added with a shrug.

"Well...that makes me feel a little bit better," Nikola said.

"You speak as though we had no choice in the matter," Helen said, not sure how comfortable she was with that concept. She'd fought her entire life for freedom, for the power to control her own destiny and for others to be able to do the same.

"It is not about control, or about forcing people into something," the man said, "You have always felt the tug that brings you together; over the years there is always something that draws you back to each other. From the very beginning the pull was there. It does not mean it is inevitable, it was still ultimately up to you and when you would become ready to embrace it."

"As terrifying as the prospect of spending eternity with me is," Nikola added teasingly.

Helen smiled at him.

"Ah, but Nikola, you should know by now that terrifying to me is also exhilarating," she said.


	31. Discovery II

Nikola grumbled at her last sentiment, muttering something under his breath about her ceaseless mockery of him. Helen smiled innocently and turned back to their vampire priest-host.

"I've decided I may just have to allot time to you after each comment I make," the vampire said thoughtfully, "So that you can properly bicker about it – that seems to be your habit?"

Nikola smirked, nudging Helen gently with his elbow.

_**He really has been watching us for a century, **_he sent.

_**Not sure how I feel about that yet, **_she replied. Though she was well aware the vampire could still hear them when communing telepathically, she felt the effort of doing so added some sort of implicit privacy to the comment.

"Humans can be so rigid in their practices," the vampire commented amusedly.

_**Don't you dare agree with him, **_Helen warned Nikola, _**you are part human too, or have you conveniently forgotten?**_

_**I'd never dream of going against your wishes, ljubav, **_Nikola sent with a very dramatic gasp. _**The thought you would even think such a preposterous thing wounds me. **_

_**Hmm, because you've just **_**never **_**given cause to such ghastly notions, **_she teased back.

"I hate to break this up, once again," the vampire said, "But your allotted time is up."

They both turned to face him, realising almost sheepishly that they'd proved his point rather spectacularly. He grinned at him with open amusement. They were obviously a great source of entertainment for the old vampire.

"Perhaps we should utilise this method when around the children?" Nikola said in jest to Helen. "I'm sure Wilhelm would be more than happy to use an hour glass to time us."

Helen smothered the smirk that was threatening to take residence on her face, she wouldn't give Nikola the satisfaction. She'd been far too strict about his not torturing her employees for that.

"Just a bit of input from me," the vampire said, waving his hand jovially to gain their attention, "But when I said _after every comment _I didn't realise you'd take that so literally."

"Sorry," Helen said, sheepishly. She was beginning to recognise the source for her team's frustration of late.

"Ah, you were telling us about giving us what we've been seeking...?" Nikola prompted in a drawl. "Which, I might add, for me would have been Helen but someone," he looked pointedly at the older vampire, "decided to just watch from the sidelines until 'the time was right' instead of getting us to jump each other."

"And I'll interject once again before dear Helen decides to scold you," the vampire said quickly, Helen's mouth closing before she uttered the words she'd intended for Nikola. "We went through that one, Nikola, and I won't go through it again."

"Yes, yes, timing is everything," Nikola said with an air of impatience.

Helen kept her mouth shut as she eyed the older vampire. She wanted to learn what it was he was willing to share and, though he seemed more amused than annoyed at their bickering, it would be much quicker if they kept it to a minimal.

"A wise decision, Helen," the man said knowingly, a spark in his eyes.

"Now," he clasped his hands together in excitement, "This is where the fun truly begins."

"The fun for whom?" Nikola inquired, "Because so far thanks to this bond Helen and I have been having a -,"

He was cut off by a sharp mental poke from Helen.

_**Alright, alright, **_he sent, _**sorry, ljubav. I should have learnt by now not to get in the way of Helen Magnus and discovery.**_

_**That's right, **_she smirked, _**and you'd do well to remember it.**_

|\\||

The Big Guy took a step back from the vampire, a frown on his face. Tesla seemed to be stabilising, his body taking control of the healing process. But the Sasquatch was still concerned. The wound had been a grave one, and if anything could kill the irritating vampire this could have been it.

"What is it?" Will asked.

"Looks like he's healing himself," Biggie grunted.

"That's a good thing though, right?" Henry said, casting a concerned look at Magnus. Her face seemed more peaceful now.

"Seems almost like someone else is helping," the Big Guy said.

"How is that possible?" Kate said.

"Started happening all of a sudden," the Big Guy said. "Almost like there was outside influence."

"Maybe that's how vampiric healing works?" Will said, "His body stabilises enough to begin the healing process?"

The Big Guy shrugged, not completely convinced, but willing to accept that for the sake of the others. He had a feeling something more was going on between Tesla and Magnus, something to do with their telepathic bond, but he wouldn't bother the others more with it. They were all jolted enough by Magnus and Tesla's current conditions.

"She looks better, doesn't she?" Henry said, nodding toward Magnus. His tone was almost questioning, as though trying to get the others to validate it.

"She doesn't look like she's in too much pain anymore," Kate agreed.

|\\||

Their surroundings changed before either Helen or Nikola had the chance to say anything more. They now stood side by side in front of the older vampire as they'd been before, but in a larger more ornate chamber. It was clearly one of ancient vampiric origin, with the vampire symbols carved into the columns of the walls.

"What is this place?" Helen said.

Different from the chamber where they'd found the bracelets, this room had walls lined with scrolls and long wooden tables littered with objects that looked vaguely scientific in nature.

"An archive," the man said.

Helen's eyes snapped back to him, his words sufficient enough to draw her curious gaze back to him.

"Of the ancient vampires?" her voice was filled with excitement. The knowledge that was encased within these walls!

Nikola's own eyes danced over the contents of the large room, his mind theorizing what each curious object could be used for. He could feel Helen's excitement like a thrum through his body, mingling with his own in an intoxicating jumbled cloud.

Neither needed the vampire to confirm what she'd asked, they knew. They could tell simply from the look and feel of the room. Helen glanced over at Nikola. The look of awe and thrill on his face was surely mirrored almost comically on her own.

This kind of discovery was the sort of one that they'd been seeking for so long, the sort of knowledge laid here was what the Five had first banded to discover. It truly was what they had been seeking for so long, whether they'd realised it or not.

Not allowing her enthusiasm to overwhelm, Helen immediately reverted to her practical nature. She turned back to the vampire.

"Is this place real?" she said.

"I'm not sure I understand your question," he said, knowingly.

"By our standards..." Helen said.

"You want to know if it has a physical location in your world," he inclined his head. "Only so much as your telepathic bond is tangible."

"Well that wasn't at all cryptic," Nikola said.

"This knowledge, or database if you like," he continued, ignoring Nikola, "is real enough, in your minds. However, you will also now be able to find many of the old abandoned outposts of our people that are hidden all over the world. I'm sure I don't have to stress to you the importance of keeping their locations concealed from any but yourselves."

"This is the 'weapon' SCIU wanted," Helen remarked, glancing at Nikola.

"You don't think they knew about it, do you?" Nikola said. Helen shook her head.

"I doubt they have any idea what it is they're searching for, only that it is powerful," she replied.

She turned to the old vampire once again to ask another question, but faltered when he was no longer there. She frowned, looking around, but he had indeed vanished.

"Perhaps he finally got annoyed with our banter?" Nikola grinned.

"This is amazing, Nikola," she said, her bemusement at the disappearance of their guide over taken by her sheer exhilaration.

She walked further into the chamber, trying to peer back to see how far it stretched. It seemed to be about as large as the library at the Sanctuary in length.

"You don't need to convince me," Nikola said, his tone filled with awe.

"Once we wake up," Nikola said, long fingers running over a triangular metal object on one of the benches, "How do you think we'll be able to return here?"

"Our new friend," Helen said, "Seemed to be rather confident of our ability to do so."

"You're suggesting that we simply 'go with the flow', as the kids would say?" Nikola said. She grinned.

"I would use different terminology," she said, "But, yes, essentially I believe we should trust what he has told us. He hasn't led us astray thus far." She held up her hand to stop Nikola from protesting, as she sensed he was about to. "There's a lot that can be said for allowing yourself to go along for a ride. I myself have discovered many things I otherwise may not have in the past."

"Just a thought," Nikola said, leaning on one of the benches. Helen looked over at him. "If we're embracing this whole 'vampire' thing." He waved a hand around him. "Does that mean we're supposedly enemies of the Praxians?"

Helen bristled.

"I asserted that we should allow ourselves to embrace these opportunities," she responded. "Not that we should thoughtlessly embrace age-old feuds. We are still individuals, Nikola. I will not allow myself to persecute innocent abnormals on behalf of the vampires."

He grinned.

"What?" she said with a frown.

"You look so hot when you get fired up," he said.

"We're standing in a veritable cornucopia of ancient vampire knowledge," she said, "And you choose now to deliberately provoke me?"

"You say that as though you're somehow surprised by the idea," Nikola remarked.


	32. Waking Up

What seemed liked hours passed by but neither Helen nor Nikola paid much notice in the face of such tantalizing discovery. It was as though the outside world no longer existed, or its seeming importance had halted for the moment. After all, what could possibly begin to compete with a repository of ancient vampire knowledge? Here it was, laid out before them, piles upon piles of knowledge to quench their omnipresent thirst for discovery. If there had ever been a time to describe their mood as that of a child on Christmas morning, this was it.

Helen didn't need to look at Nikola to feel his excitement, childlike and filled with joy and a fine match to her own. The occasional glance was all the pair needed between them, a small smile plastered on each of their faces, their eyes each reflecting the sparkle of their counterpart's.

But there was a time for the indulgence and a time for pragmatism, and though both Helen and Nikola were notorious for holing themselves away in work-rooms for days on end, she finally allowed pragmatism to win out. Or perhaps it was simply her concern for her friends that fuelled it.

_**Oh no, **_Nikola sent, seeming to have sensed her sudden change in disposition, _**don't you even think about trying to drag me out of here – this is everything I've ever dreamed of! Well, not everything, it would help if you were dressed in something delectably scandalous and –**_

_**Nikola, **_she responded, calmly. She couldn't see him right now but could tell he was close by, probably lost, both figuratively and literally, under a pile of ancient scrolls.

_**Come on, ljubav, **_he was whining now. She had to smirk at his tone.

He appeared in front of her moments later, sauntering into her vision, hands on hips and looking utterly charming for it. He made it very hard for her to remain steadfast in her resolve when he did things like that. Knowing the way Nikola's mind worked (very intimately), and also having raised a child herself, Helen knew a thing or two about incentive. She decided to change tact.

"Niko," she purred, leaning seductively on a bench top, "I'd be only too happy to slip into something that would fulfil your every fantasy. That exercise, unfortunately, would involve returning to the Sanctuary. But we could stay here if you like."

He regarded her for a long moment.

"Bloody infuriating woman," he echoed her own sentiment of earlier and she grinned. "You know, you and those womanly wiles of yours are going to be the death of me. I always said it."

"What a way to go," she flashed him a magnificent smile that he couldn't help smiling himself.

They now faced another problem, one Helen hadn't really thought about until that moment. Their eyes met and Nikola was grinning smugly.

"So much for that plan," he remarked, "Oh well, it looks like we're stuck. We'll just be _forced _to play out my fantasies here."

She rolled her eyes. There had to be a way to get out of here, it wasn't as though they were supposed to spend the rest of their lives in a mental-database. At least she hoped so.

"Really? You spend years hounding me to sleep with you and yet you give up in three seconds when presented with this hurdle?" she said, a teasing edge to her tone.

"Three always was my lucky number," he reasoned. She laughed softly.

"I suggest we go back and stand in the entrance way where our vampire friend initially brought us here," she said, nodding in its direction.

"Well if you want to be logical about it," Nikola sighed melodramatically.

Helen grinned and walked over to the stone entrance, knowing Nikola would only be a few steps behind her. The couple stood there for a long moment. Nikola's eyebrows rose up in amusement as nothing happened and Helen frowned.

"Odd, I really thought this would -,"

She didn't have the opportunity to complete the sentiment as, at that very moment, a familiar blackness engulfed them.

Moments later, or that was what they supposed as time seemed rather intangible a thing in their mental world, they regained consciousness. It took them both a long moment to realise they were laying in the Sanctuary's sick-bay.

"Oh hey, I forgot about that," Nikola remarked, looking down at the bloody tear in his shirt. Helen shook her head in amusement as she pushed herself up to a sitting position.

Her bed was right next to Nikola's, but she still had the rather persistent desire to crawl onto his with him.

"You're awake!" a voice broke through their recovery.

Helen and Nikola looked over to see Henry standing in the doorway. The young HAP was looking profoundly relieved as he took in the overtly not dying forms of Magnus and Tesla.

"Hello, Henry," Helen said softly, "It's good to see you too." She addressed the unspoken sentiment that was written painfully over his face.

Nikola rolled his eyes at the display, swinging his legs over the side of the bed and standing.

"How…how are you feeling?" Henry asked.

Helen contemplated this as she watched Nikola pace around and inspect his now-healed wound. She felt wonderful, invigorated. This was decidedly odd considering the physical trauma he – and by proxy she – had been through.

"We're both feeling surprisingly well," she answered him.

_**So you noticed it too, **_Nikola sent.

_**Of course I did, **_she responded curtly.

_**What? **_Nikola sent, looking over at her as he did so. _**How could you possibly be mad with me right now after what we just found?**_

_**Oh there are always a myriad of things I could be mad at you for, **_she sent harshly and he winced.

_**Helen…**_he sent, confusion and hurt so obvious on his face that she didn't need to be telepathically linked to him to experience it.

_**You didn't have to be so dismissive of Henry, **_she sent. She stood up herself now, finding she was indeed filled with energy.

_**Is that all? **_Nikola sent with a scoff.

_**He's only concerned for us. **_Helen sent angrily, _**it must have been hard on them. They weren't to know what was going on and my own physical symptoms must have been quite disarming.**_

_**Come on, Helen, **_Nikola sent, _**the kid looks fine. **_

_**You can't brush aside the feelings of others, Nikola, **_she sent.

Nikola sighed, glancing between her and Henry. Henry himself had retrieved his walkie and appeared to be contacting the others to let them know Magnus and Tesla had regained consciousness.

_**I don't brush aside your feelings, **_he sent back, taking a step toward her. _**Worrying about how you would feel has always been my biggest concern. Your happiness has always been what I've striven for. How can you say I don't care?**_

_**I know you care about me, Nikola, of course I know, **_she replied, softening her tone, _**but I care about them. **_

Nikola sighed.

_**The things I do for you, **_he sent darkly. She laughed softly.

_**Now that we've agreed you're going to make an attempt at civility, **_she sent, going over to thread her arm through his. _**We can put it into practice. We need to inform the others of what has happened.**_

_**Are you sure that's wise? **_Nikola sent.

_**I do not think we should reveal everything, no, **_Helen agreed, _**however an, ah, abridged version of events should do just fine. Besides, I have much more pressing matters to tend to. I did promise to fulfil your fantasies, did I not? **_

_**You sure you don't want to make a small detour to the bedroom? **_He sent.

_**Patience, Nikola, **_she reminded him.

_**I am **_**not **_**becoming one of those vampire couples with the longer-than-a-century courtship our creepy vampire was harping on about, **_Nikola sent firmly.

He grinned wolfishly as she led them to the door of the sickbay. She glanced them over.

_**Ah, perhaps we should make a detour to the bedroom, **_she sent.

_**I couldn't agree more, **_Nikola sent, _**I knew my devilish charm would prove irresistible.**_

_**No, not for that, **_she sent, _**I rather think changing into clothes a little less blood stained would be a good idea. **_

_**But, Helen, **_he sent teasingly, looking her up and down, _**blood does so become you.**_


	33. Debriefings, with Embellishment

**Yes, yes, I know I need to update this more. **

**But my exams are finally over and so I'll be able to go on my computer and ff without completely freaking out that I should be studying. :(...I mean :) YAY. Back to :( because we NEED a season five. **

***Group Sanctuary-fan hugs* everyone get on in there. **

\||\\

"Anyone think it's taking them a little longer than necessary to change outfits?" Kate commented from where she half-sat half-lay sprawled on the couch.

Henry's eyes darted up to her face before looking away, his hands occupied as he picked at an invisible piece of lint on his pants. He shifted in his chair. He'd been exposed to far too much of Magnus and Tesla and their insatiable urges for the past few days. The others may be able to take it with more levity, but Magnus was like his mother and he did _not _need to be thinking about his mother in that way.

"Oh Dear God," Will groaned, leaning forward from his position next to Kate on the couch, head in hands, "Don't even go there – _don't even go there_."

Kate smirked, crossing her arms. She opened her mouth to say something else but was cut off by the familiar sound of heels clacking on Magnus's polished wooden office floor.

"Talking about anything interesting?" Helen remarked far too casually, and with a far too knowing look about her in that way only Magnus could master.

"Interesting, yes," Will said, "But also frightening." He offered her a half smile which she returned, the knowing look still gleaming in her eyes.

"Can the banter," Nikola said in a snarky tone as he and Helen sat down side-by-side on the couch opposite Kate and Will. "We have a debriefing to cram into your little skulls."

_**I am aware that you're justifiably eager to fulfil the promise I made you about your fantasies during our trip to the vampire database, **_Helen sent. _**However, I would appreciate it if you would so kindly exercise patience. This is important.**_

_**So are my fantasies, **_he sent back sulkily.

Really, how much restraint did she expect from him? He'd already waited a hundred years.

Helen bit back an amused smile at his adorable petulance, and his mental mutterings about 'waiting a hundred years' and several select swear words in Serbian. It would do him no good to let him see her resolve weaken. He would be all over that like a vulture on a decaying corpse and, before she knew it, she'd probably be straddling him right there in front of the others.

She closed her eyes briefly, pushing that particular thought – and any on a similar Nikola-related line of thinking – to the back of her mind. When she opened her eyes once more, Nikola was staring at her with a victorious little smirk on his face.

_**Why, Helen, it seems you've managed to distract yourself, **_he sent teasingly, _**And I didn't even have to lift a finger. My, I do enjoy seeing this side of you. **_

_**I'll show you another more unpleasant side of me in a moment if you don't desist with your distractions, **_she remarked.

_**Me? **_He scoffed. _**You were doing perfectly fine all by yourself at getting all hot and bothered. That isn't to say I wouldn't be only too happy to come over and help you out – **_

Helen poked him sharply with her mind, smiling sweetly as she did so.

"Is it bad that I'm getting used to this silent communication thing now?" Will asked, directing the question at Kate.

"Yes," Kate responded, eyes going from Helen to Nikola, "But I think I've almost got it down with who's speaking."

"Our method for telepathic communication, albeit unorthodox, is not a tennis match, Kate," Helen commented. Kate and Will jumped a little, almost having forgotten that their boss and her vampire mate could still hear them.

"Helen was just getting flustered with her fantasies about me," Nikola explained, speaking in a dry tone. Helen narrowed her eyes at him and sent another nasty mental poke his way.

"Shall we begin?" she said in a loud voice, hoping to steer the conversation away from anything to do with fantasies, or getting flustered. Nikola grinned, knowing exactly what she was doing, but for once the verbose vampire refrained from commenting.

Helen began their meeting by requesting that they fill them in on what had happened after she and Nikola had been rendered unconscious. As Will told them about Helen's own display of apparent physical distress in response to Nikola's injury, Helen could feel the guilt from Nikola seeping through her own being. Her eyes slid away from Will and over to him, comforting and understanding.

_**Apparently, vampires interpret 'in sickness and in health' quite literally, **_she sent lightly in an attempt to comfort him.

_**I'd rather not bestow my sicknesses on you, **_he returned sadly.

_**Whatever happens, we face it together, remember? **_She replied, reaching out physically grasp his hand. _**Those were not empty words, Nikola. **_

Her only response from him was the twitching upwards of his lips, and it was good enough for her. She smiled softly before turning her attention back to Will, who was currently rattling off the procedures they'd tried on Nikola.

"So, then the wound started healing itself," Will said. He gave a tired half shrug, the whole experience had been draining to say the least. There was a time when they hadn't been sure whether the pair would survive or not.

"Yeah, it was really freaky, Doc," Kate said. "Just started fixing itself like something out of a sci-fi film."

"It's not unusual for Nikola's wounds to heal by themselves," Helen said, "However, the speed at which this very serious injury was healed is out of the ordinary."

"Even by Sanctuary standards," Will added, for good measure. Helen smiled.

"Yes, even by our 'weird and whacky' standards," she teased, echoing a phrase she'd heard Kate use once.

"Hey, Doc, if the shoes fits," Kate held up her hands in mock surrender.

"Nikola and I may have an explanation," Helen said, "But we'll start from the beginning."

Helen told them about their return to their telepathic-reality, trying to explain the phenomenon as best she could, with the occasional rude interjection from Nikola. Most of his comments were less about fact and more about sass, in typical Nikola fashion.

_**Shall you be offering any more comments from the peanut gallery? **_Helen sent at one point.

_**Helen, my dear, **_he sent back dramatically, _**it's just not a story without my embellishments. You can be so dry in your delivery.**_

_**It's not a story, Nikola, it's a debriefing.**_

_**You say debriefing, **_he responded, _**I say opportunity to show these kids how true geniuses do things – with pizzazz. **_

_**Pizzazz? **_She sent, one eyebrow raised.

_**Yes, pizzazz, **_he sent back, tone completely serious. She eyed him with wary amusement before returning to her debriefing, coloured of course at every turn with Nikola's pizzazz filled commentary.

Of course, they left out a few details in their retelling. They did not disclose the existence of the old abandoned vampire outposts that the ancient database could lead them to. Their old vampire friend had instructed they should not tell any of this discovery, and both Helen and Nikola understood the need for secrecy when it came to such things.

"Wait, so let me get this straight," Kate said, now sitting up attentively straight, "This vampire dude has been...spying on you guys for over a century? That's messed up. No wonder Vlad over there looks pissed."

"I already went through his reasoning," Helen said, "Timing is important, Kate." She glanced over at Nikola. "And Nikola isn't angry, he's just sulking. Though I can understand it would be hard to find a distinction between the two."

Kate smirked.

"Oh, ha ha," Nikola said dryly, "Hilarious. Simply sublime use of wit there, ljubav."

"Now he's a little angry," Helen said with a small smile.

"But what is so important about this database that SCIU would want so badly?" Henry said.

Helen's eyes drifted back to Nikola, who was now paying attention more thoroughly.

"Let's just say there's a whole lot of stuff that your tiny minds can't comprehend," Nikola said. Helen let out an exasperated sigh.

_**That wasn't exactly what I meant when I said we shouldn't tell them the story in its entirety, **_she sent.

_**So you admit that it's a story now? **_He sent with a grin.

_**Cheeky bloody vampire, **_she sent back, smiling.

"What Nikola means to say," Helen began.

"What Helen means by that is she's about to phrase what I said more diplomatically," Nikola interjected, "However, in essence, it means the exact same thing."

She gave him a scowl before turning back to the others and continuing.

"There are some things of which we cannot tell you," she said, apologetically, "Consider them sacred, if you will. But trust that Nikola and I can handle this situation."

"What do you mean by 'handle this situation'?" Will narrowed his eyes.

"We will be doing some work of a private nature," Helen said, "We would appreciate not being disturbed, and we will need the rest of you to hold down the fort here."

"I assume by 'hold down the fort'," Will said, "You mean keep SCIU at bay?"

"Indeed," Helen acknowledged. "It is of the utmost importance, however, that SCIU does not get wind of what Nikola and I are up to. If they suspect what we're doing, they may not be so passive in their countermanding our actions. We do not need a war on our hands."

_**Does anyone ever? **_Nikola commented idly.

_**Your meandering thoughts into the philosophical suggest to me your boredom is extending to dangerous levels, **_she replied.

_**Would it be rather futile a remark to say that you know me too well at this stage? **_He grinned.

_**Yes, I think it would rather, **_she grinned in return. _**Now, get up, we have a lot of work to do and I think I fancy taking that detour I promised to the bedroom first. **_

He grinned, springing to his feet.

_**You're getting all dominatrix already, **_he said, _**I like it.**_

_**Of course you do, **_she responded, winking, _**you may not be human but you are susceptible to those womanly wiles of mine you are so sure will one day be the death of you.**_


	34. So Close

Helen sighed, shaking her head in abject exasperation as she watched Nikola's form retreat into the bathroom. Standing at her wardrobe she laughed softly to herself. He really could be too much sometimes. She was somewhat surprised she hadn't yet snapped and tried to kill him herself since being telepathically linked to the often far too pesky vampire. Helen supposed that what their 'vampire guide' had told them about their bond was true, perhaps they were meant to be connected. Perhaps it's what was supposed to happen to them all along.

Still, for a woman who'd spent so many decades with her own solitude for the most part, this should have been harder to adjust to. That wasn't to say she hadn't had lovers or friends, because she had, it was just hard for anyone to get too close to someone who was essentially immortal. With Nikola it just felt right, it always had. After all, who else could even begin to comprehend her on the level he could? Or vice-versa?

_**You know, ljubav, **_he sent in as close to a mental drawl as one could really get – he'd perfected that particular tone early on. _**I always suspected you spent the majority of your time day-dreaming about me. **_

_**I am not day-dreaming, **_she bristled. She snapped herself into action, as though to prove to him she was being productive rather than standing in the middle of her bedroom thinking about him.

His amused mental snort made her huff aloud.

"Bloody vampires," she muttered.

_**No pun intended, I assume, **_he sent.

She could only roll her eyes, suspecting he could sense her doing so, or at least the exasperation that accompanied the gesture.

_**Oh, it was intended, I assure you of that, **_she retorted as she ran her fingers over a few of the blouses hanging in her wardrobe contemplatively. _**If only to slowly wear you down slowly via ridiculously cheesy puns and notions in relation to the vampire race. **_

_**Discipline by pun? **_He sent, amusedly.

_**We have a very long time together, **_she shrugged mentally. _**I do need some way to entertain myself and rile you up simultaneously.**_

_**Are you saying you're bored of me already? **_He sent, jokingly.

She chuckled as Nikola repeatedly sent mental images of a few of the more daring outfits into her mind. She was aware of him leaning against the bathroom door watching her now. Every time her hand went to grasp an item of clothing, he'd accost her mind with images of a different one. His usually involved a significantly more meagre amount of fabric for the garment.

_**I'm never going to be able to get changed with you running amuck in my mind, **_she sent.

_**Darling, who said it was my goal to help you put clothes on? **_he retorted, cheekily.

_**Nikola Tesla, **_she sent, _**don't tempt me to figure out a way to injure you without harming myself. You know how determined I can be when faced with a problem. **_

He grinned, walking over to her to stand right behind her.

_**Whatever happened to 'in sickness and in health'? **_He sent.

"Well, strictly speaking," she said aloud, sufficiently distracted by his hands grasping her by the waist and pulling her back against him, "We never actually took those specific vows. Or any for that matter."

"Not verbal ones, no," he agreed, his lips finding her neck. He paused, lips hovering above the exposed flesh there. "But I daresay that our kind of vows mean a whole lot more."

She shuddered at the huskiness of his tone, almost whispering the words in her ear. Her eyes had fluttered closed and she'd already forgotten what she'd been trying to do before at her wardrobe. She remembered that they needed to divest themselves of their bloodied attire, and shedding clothes seemed to be rather an appealing concept at the moment.

Noticing her current distraction, Nikola took the opportunity to spin her around roughly so that she was facing him, and push her back against the wardrobe. She let out a little gasp of surprise, which he swallowed with a bruising kiss. She moaned into the kiss, and he pressed himself more closely against her.

"Niko." She wasn't completely sure whether she'd moaned his name out loud or in their minds.

_**I believe you wanted to get undressed, ljubav? **_He sent. Their lips broke apart in a brief respite, allowing Helen to temporarily regain her composure.

_**I think that would be the wisest course of action in the current circumstance, don't you? **_She responded.

Just as they'd made it to the bed, in a bid of ill timing, Helen's walkie crackled to life beside them on the bed-side table. She groaned in frustration.

"You'd think the children had learned by now not to interrupt mommy and daddy when they're alone in the bedroom," Nikola said, then paused thoughtfully, "Or at all really."

She grinned as she shuffled over, leaning over his body, to reach the offending item.

"This had better be damned important," she almost barked into it.

"It kind of is, Doc," Henry's apologetic tone came across the line. She softened upon hearing his tone, she could almost see the wince that must be on his face right about now.

"Sorry, Henry, go ahead," she said.

"Softie," Nikola mouthed, and she kicked him.

"Uh...right," Henry said, "I'm sorry to interrupt...whatever it is you're..." he paused, clearing his throat, "Anyway, you're going to want to come and see this. We have a visitor, Doc, one who's being kind of insistent in speaking to you."

"If its dear Johnny again, tell him I owe him a nice little claw to the chest," Nikola said loudly.

"It's not Druitt," Henry replied, his tone had shifted from uncomfortable to worried, "It's some guy from the UN, boss."

Helen sat up, Henry having gained her full attention. Well, aside from the small portion of her mind that seemed perpetually dizzied by Nikola's proximity.

"We'll be right there, Henry," he responded.

Nikola pouted, and then sighed. She could tell he understood.

"We could always tell him to wait while we have a quickie," he suggested, only half joking.

"Somehow, I don't exactly see that one going down particularly well," she said, smiling. She leaned over and pressed her lips to his in a quick peck, scooting across the bed to swing her legs to the floor before he could grasp her and draw her back to him.

_**Trouble beckons, **_she remarked. She padded over to the wardrobe, this time with the intention of actually succeeding in changing her clothes.

_**I thought that was your nickname for **_**me? **Nikola pouted from the bed. She threw him a grin before selecting a shirt.


	35. A Flying Leap

Helen and Nikola made their way to her office not ten minutes later. Surprisingly, she'd only had to slap his hands away from her as she'd been changing a handful of times. After apparently learning his lesson, he'd retreated, and his remaining advances had been mental ones. Helen wasn't quite sure which was worse at this point.

She didn't need to remind him to behave in front of whatever UN representative had showed up announced, though not completely unexpected, on their doorstep. They'd play it the way they always played it. No matter how formidable each was in their own right, as a team they were beyond being merely intimidating. They'd dealt with enough people like this in the past: politicians, government representatives, heads of committees and sub-committees, investors. It wasn't even diplomacy that always worked, sometimes it was just best to cut straight to the chase and utilise any advantage you had.

Helen gave herself a once over before entering her office as they reached the door, slowing to a stop. She did her best to maintain an impeccable appearance when dealing with outsiders, it fuelled rumours of formidability, which served her agendas well.

_**I'd prefer if you only used your feminine wiles on me, **_Nikola bristled beside her.

_**Ah, Nikola, **_she soothed, _**you know my wiles are all yours. I need to keep them sharply polished for you though, don't I?**_

She pushed the door open to her office, walking in with an air of confidence she couldn't quite match internally. She drew strength from Nikola, however, sensing him more than seeing him follow her inside the room.

"Doc!" Henry said with a little too much enthusiasm and relief as he practically sprung to his feet off the couch. As much as she adored the young man, Henry was not the best at masking his emotions. Will was standing with his arms crossed over his chest in front of her desk, almost guarding it in a symbolic gesture until she should arrive.

Aside from her two boys, there were three others in the room she did not recognise, their guests too rising to stand and face the figure of Helen Magnus.

She could instantly pick who the leader was amongst them, it wasn't difficult to tell. The man was bald – and she wasn't sure if this was reminding her or Nikola of John as recognition flickered between them – and wore an expensive black pinstripe suit. His appearance was meticulous in presentation and he stood straight, regarding her with analytical, suspicious eyes. She knew instantly he was not someone to be underestimated.

"Helen Magnus, I presume," the man spoke first. It was presumptuous of him, bowling into her home and speaking as though he owned the place. He spoke with contempt and it irked her.

_**Just say the word, ljubav, and he'll have a few nice new claw marks to sport, **_Nikola seethed in her mind.

Instead of matching the man with hostility, Helen favoured pleasantry. There would be plenty of time for harsh words and a barbed tongue later should the need arise.

"Yes, welcome to the Sanctuary," she replied, "Your visit is unexpected, but we are always willing to welcome visitors."

He narrowed his eyes almost imperceptibly at her lack of disgruntlement at his intrusion. He didn't look completely shocked, however, and she knew it was most likely due to her reputation as being impossibly and shamelessly eccentric.

"Greg Addison," he introduced himself, "UN Security Council." He didn't bother to introduce his colleagues, a younger dark haired woman and a similarly aged man. Both simply stood behind their boss observing with quiet discretion.

_**I don't like him, **_Nikola sent, as if she hadn't sensed it from him.

_**No, nor do I, **_she agreed, _**though he represents the UN and they wouldn't spring such a visit on us without good reason. We can't afford to aggravate them.**_

_**Why do I get the distinct feeling that was your subtle way of telling me to behave? **_Nikola sent.

_**I'll make it well worthwhile, darling, **_she purred.

_**Are we back to mental role-playing? **_He sent. _**Because I know you keep saying you're not into exhibitionism and yet here we are, mentally role playing in front of strangers. **_

Her only response was a mental poke for good measure, just to temporarily keep him in line. She estimated it would work for about ten seconds, twenty if she was lucky.

"Well, Mr Addison," Helen said, clasping her hands together in front of her, "I assume you didn't just pop in for a spot of tea and small talk?" Addison's lips curled upwards in a smirk. The tension was thick in the room, no one dared take too deep a breath for fear of sharp reprimand from either warring party.

"Let's drop the charade, Doctor, your front of Victorian manners and old-world charm won't fool me," Addison said. Helen's eyes flickered over to Will, whose jaw had clenched, and she implored him with her eyes not to react. Helen smirked, taking a step forward calmly.

"I assure you, Mr Addison, I've no idea what you're talking about," she said smoothly, "I'm not the one playing games here."

The man watched her for a long moment, sizing her up, and she stood stoic under his gaze, almost daring him to challenge the infamous Helen Magnus. He'd no doubt heard stories about her from colleagues, knew to an extent what she was capable of.

"I know what monsters you keep within the bowels of this menagerie, _Doctor_," he said. His tone had shifted now, it was menacing, threatening almost. "The freaks of society, the outcasts -,"

Apparently, it hadn't been Will or Nikola she need worry about, for no sooner had the scathing words left Addison's mouth, Henry was upon him. The young HAP snarled viciously, grabbing the UN representative by the collar of his pinstripe suit.

"We're not monsters!" he growled, his face half-transformed into his werewolf form.

"Henry!" Helen said, rushing forward to calm the young man. It was Nikola, however, who pulled the HAP off their guest.

Nikola held him back as Henry slowly calmed, his outward appearance reflecting the process as he slowly returned to his human visage. He was panting and his eyes remained fixed on Addison in a look of loathing. Magnus knew Henry hated being judged like that. She knew how long it had taken him to accept what he was, who he was, as she'd been there beside him through it all.

"Well," Addison remarked, brushing himself off, "I feel safe." Helen spun back to face him, her own eyes narrowed fiercely. He hardly looked moved at all, though his companions looked slightly shaken if their wide eyes were anything to go by.

"This is a _sanctuary_, Mr Addison," she stated firmly, "It is a place where all can come and all are accepted, regardless of their genetic sequencing. It is not a menagerie. We practice tolerance and compassion, something that you are obviously void of, and we appreciate others for their differences instead of condemning them."

"You can save the recruitment speech," he said. "No matter how fancifully you put it, this is still where you keep the monsters." Helen bristled, and it was surprisingly now Nikola who had to mentally soothe her as she felt her blood boil.

"I'm not here to make nice," Addison continued, "I'm here because the UN has serious concerns about this place. You've had far too much freedom for far too long, and now that I'm around, that's going to change."

"This is about ego?" Nikola scoffed. "What, you're pissed because you're not the best name dropper around and you want to knock Helen down a notch or two?"

"Nikola," Helen said, warningly.

"Oh, come on Helen, we all know why we're here," he continued in a drawl, "They know about Hollow Earth and they want to use us to effectively commit genocide."

"Well if they didn't know before they most certainly do now!" Helen said.

"The _abnormals _from Hollow Earth pose a very significant threat," Addison said, "We're merely acting to ensure the security of the surface against them. We know you've recently uncovered something potentially invaluable to this cause." Helen scoffed.

"Now who's spouting out recruitment speeches?" Nikola said.

"We're all on the same side!" Helen said. "We can learn from each other, learn to work together. Just imagine what we could achieve, the advances to science and medicine we could make if we worked as one."

"Is she always this ideological?" Addison asked, vaguely addressing the question to Will, as though trying to form some sort of solidarity with the young man. "You know, I've heard many things about you Dr Magnus but I never thought you'd be so foolish. You know that with one phone call I could cut off all funding to your precious little network."

"I don't respond well to threats against my work," she said in a low tone.

"You can either join us and help us to protect our home," Addison said, "Or I'll be forced to bring this network to its knees. After all, the government can't support an institution when their allegiances are so...unpredictable."

Helen narrowed her eyes.

"Get out," she hissed.

"What?" Addison said, clearly not the response he'd been expecting from her.

"You heard me, I said get out," she repeated firmly. "I will never hand over control of my records, my residents, my friends to whatever abnormal Guantanamo Bay you're planning. I'd sooner burn it to the ground. I have given many lifetimes to this work, I have seen everyone I love die for it, do you really think you can begin to take that on? Do you really think you can begin to understand?"

Addison watched her with a clenched jaw, anger practically radiating off him in waves.

"I hope you realise," he said after palpable pause, "What this means." He turned his eyes to Will. "Your boss has just shot herself – and all of you – in the foot."

Helen remained standing where she was, resolutely glaring at the man. He cast her one more hard look before nodding to his two employees.

"You've just made a huge mistake," he said to her. She gave a small, dark smirk.

"My colleague will show you out," she said. As if on cue, the Big Guy appeared in the doorway. He was glaring up a storm at their visitors, clearing taking pleasure in seeing the three so ill at ease around his formidable presence. Magnus smirked as Addison couldn't fully mask his discomfort.

Once he was gone, she let out a breath.

"Wow," Will said, "That was insane!"

"You practically just told the world's governments to take a flying leap!" Henry agreed, now much less angry.

"It was rather dramatic, wasn't it?" Helen grinned, turning to them. They gaped.

_**It seems my flair is rubbing off on you after all, **_Nikola sent gleefully.

_**Rather hard not to pay attention to your incessant melodrama when it's such a constant presence in my mind, **_she reminded him. _**Besides, a bit of drama is good for the soul on occasion. **_

_**I couldn't have said it better myself, ljubav, it's like you read my mind, **_he sent. She grinned at him.

"What? You mean you _intended _to do that all along?" Will blanched.

"Of course, Wilhelm, try to keep up," Nikola remarked. "What did you expect? All of us to get along and skip hand in hand through a field of daisies?"

"But...what about what Addison said about funding?" Will said, grappling with what had just happened.

"I have a few tricks up my sleeve," she said in amusement, "I have been around for quite a while and I've learnt a thing or two about avoiding detection."

"Which she surprisingly learnt from James and not from me," Nikola added. Helen laughed.

"How can you be so calm about all of this?" Will blurted.

"Will, we knew this was going to happen, it was inevitable," Helen explained, "Ever since John visited with news of the new SCIU branch. I simply cannot stand by and let anyone destroy an entire people because of their fear."

"So, what are we going to do then?" Will said.

_**Really, it's like we have to explain everything to them, **_Nikola sent in her mind. _**Haven't they ever heard of initiative, or deductive reasoning? **_

_**Oh shut up and get to telling them the part I know you've been dying to, **_Helen sent amusedly.

Nikola grinned.

"We're going rogue, Huggybear," he said, "I hope you're not too attached to that FBI girlfriend of yours because we just got crossed off the call-list of every major organisation."


	36. Solitude

Sometime later, Nikola sat with Helen in her office. He was nursing a half-filled glass of vintage red in his left hand, watching the deep red liquid as it swirled hypnotically around the glass. He didn't even notice Helen's cobalt gaze upon him until he looked up. The vampire's lips twisted upwards.

_**Glad to see you enjoy watching me as much as I enjoy watching you, ljubav, **_he sent.

The fire was flickering tantalizingly as a background to the scene he presented in the arm chair, and Helen was having a hard time resisting the urge to go over and join him. But she had far too much work to do – not two hours ago she'd just told the world's governments to take a flying leap. She couldn't afford distractions, not when her Sanctuary Network was at stake.

_**A welcome distraction is not always a bad thing, **_Nikola sent lazily as he listened in on her thoughts.

Biting her lip, she turned her attention back to the work on her desk, resolutely ignoring her vampire sitting mere metres away. Nikola chuckled, shaking his head. He'd simply count the minutes before her resolve shattered and she came over to him. He liked counting after all. He estimated it would be no more than fifteen minutes. He only gave her that long because she was stubborn at the best of times. Although, it would be fifteen minutes filled with wistful gazes and lip biting – she'd barely get any work done anyway.

Helen snorted in response to his train of thought.

_**Listening in on my thoughts too? **_He queried in mild amusement, _**My, you must be getting less work done than even I anticipated. I can't blame you though, I am a devilishly attractive distraction. You're only able to resist because you're pigheaded. **_

She snorted in a rather un-ladylike manner.

_**Devilish being the operative word, **_she retorted before turning her attention once more to her work.

Nikola remained where he was, watching her with a frustratingly amused expression.

Helen frowned at her computer screen intensely and pointedly before finally letting out a small huff. However much she hated to prove him right at her expense, she despised being away from him even more.

_**Bloody vampire, **_she uttered darkly as she stood from her desk. Nikola chuckled.

Instead of wasting her time on the couch she went straight to his arm chair, sliding onto his lap in a graceful little move. His hands instantly found her waist, drawing her physically closer, and she snuggled readily into his arms.

She hummed contentedly once there, a place she'd recently found she felt alarmingly comfortable.

_**I can't believe what I did today, **_she sent absently.

_**I know, **_he agreed, _**its positively outrageous you managed to resist my charms for so long over there at your desk. **_

Helen sent a mental poke in response and wrinkled her nose.

_**The outrageous act to which I was referring was my confrontation with Addison, **_she sent.

_**You may have been the active party, **_Nikola replied, _**but I was there too. It was the right choice, Helen. The only choice you could make really.**_

_**I still feel as though I've just signed the Sanctuary's death warrant, **_she sent.

_**You and I both know that governments come and go like the ebb and flow of the tide, **_Nikola mused. _**At the end of the day, though, we remain. You cannot bend to the will of every misguided and pompous power faction. **_

_**Good to know you're on my side, **_she sent, snuggling closer into his embrace.

_**Always, **_he sent. He was sure she was teasing him, but felt the need to clarify the position anyway, a residual manifestation of his insecurities. _**Even when I'm pretending to kill you just to gain a fragment of your attention, I'm yours.**_

The hum of her laughter washed through his mind in a most pleasant way. If he'd thought hearing her laugh aloud was melodical, this was even more so.

_**I have to go to Africa, **_she sent a short while late. It was a seemingly out of the blue statement, but Nikola wasn't surprised by it as he'd been able to sense the soothing hum of her mind at work.

_**As much as I'd love to relive the memories of our last little jaunt to that particular continent, **_Nikola sent. He grinned at the memory as he sent her a mental image of herself desperately trying to save his life by aggressively taking on the amber stasis chamber of the vampire queen. _**I'm not convinced that is the reason for your sudden desire to return.**_

_**That rock was the most effective and readily accessible tool to complete the task of retrieving a sample of Afina's blood, **_Helen responded coolly. He smirked.

_**You would think that **_**now **_**you'd at least be able to admit it was something more, **_he teased. _**I can see your innermost thoughts and feelings, after all.**_

_**Not strictly speaking, **_she sent, feathers a little ruffled. _**Besides, I'm not sure what you're complaining about, I did save your life after all did I not?**_

_**In the most alluring way, **_he sent back. _**But we seem to have digressed.**_

_**A reoccurring pattern on our part, it seems, **_she agreed. _**Now that we've disentangled ourselves from the nefarious plotting of the government –**_

_**Helen, I'm insulted, **_he sent as he placed a hand over his heart, _**I thought only my plotting was nefarious to you? I'll have to try harder to reclaim that title.**_

_**No, I think we'll be quite alright without your megalomaniacal attempts at world domination for the while. **_She sent.

_**Are you sure? **_

_**Positive, **_she sent, amused.

A sudden thought struck her, and she straightened up her body in her position on Nikola's lap.

_**I don't like the gleam in your eyes, **_Nikola sent warily.

_**You usually love the gleam in my eyes, darling, **_she retorted. Storing her sudden though away for later, she turned her attention back to him. _**Anyway, Africa – we're going to need someone to handle our money...under the radar. I have it on good authority that the perfect candidate is making a little trip there soon. **_

She frowned slightly at his ridiculous grin.

_**What? **_She demanded.

_**You, going all rogue and underground, **_he sent.

_**Don't tell me, **_she rolled her eyes, _**it's sexy?**_

_**Well, yes, **_he bristled, _**I love your dark side.**_

Helen smiled wickedly, leaning forward to brush her lips over his.

_**Is that so? **_She purred.

All he could do was nod.

\||\\

It had taken Helen all of a few days to organise her trip to Africa and devise a plan to deal with their money. Of course, Nikola's input had helped. Not all that much (he was horrendous with managing money) but he was still a helpful sounding board. She had to restrain herself from mentally using that tone so causally, he'd been rather put out by it. She remembered all too clearly his hour-long pout where he'd holed himself up in the wine cellar while she smoothed through some details with Will.

The younger man would be charged with the care of her precious Sanctuary in her absence. He was rather dreading stalling calls from high-ups insisting to speak to Magnus. She'd made rather a loud splash in the political and influential communities with her little rebellion.

"Just don't give me the new era speech again," Will said, tiredly standing beside Henry in the elevator on his way to Magnus's office. She'd departed hours ago, and was well on her was to Africa by now – sans vampire.

"Dude it is totally new era," Henry replied, not bothering to look up from his tablet, "Thanks to Addison and the UN, we have no commercial banking access. We have no military or law enforcement support."

"Is it cold in here or is it just me?" Will asked. The doors to elevator slid open and the pair exited and began walking side by side through the corridor.

"We also have no love from the Mayor's office, which means no grapes on our heating bills or profiting taxes," Henry said wearily. The HAP had been working furiously to plug each hole Magnus's defection had caused, but it seemed like each time he did a new one just popped up in its place. He waved his tablet in front of Will's face as if to prove his point.

"Really?" Will asked curiously. He'd taken for granted before now just how much they relied on the authorities to turn a blind eye or make exceptions for them.

"Really," Henry nodded. "Not to mention we have a mopey vampire depleting the wine cellar."

"Tesla's still sour grapes about not getting to go with Magnus?" Will asked.

"Nice," Henry grinned at Will's wine pun, "And yes. He was supposed to be helping turn the Sanctuary into a more self-sufficient building in terms of heating and electricity but the so called father of electricity is spending more money on wine than saving anything."

"I wish Magnus _had _taken him with her," Will mused, "If only to get him out of our hair."

"Yeah, he's not rainbows and sunshine at the best of times," Henry agreed, "But without Magnus around he's like..."

"A child who lost his favourite toy?" Will suggested.

"Will, man, could you please not use that kind of wording," Henry said, "It creates all kinds of wrong implications when speaking about Magnus and Vlad."

"Right, sorry," Will said, "Abby's coming over for lunch today, celebrating her big promotion, I bought all this gourmet food."

"Alright, I'll fix the heating!" Henry relented.

"Thank you," Will said, "But someone also needs to keep Tesla occupied so he doesn't decide to date crash. He kind of creeps Abby out."

"Yeah, he has that effect on, well, most people," Henry said, pausing thoughtfully, "You know, anyone but Magnus."

"You could let him check your computers or something," Will said.

"Alright, fine, I'll find Vlad something to do to keep him away from you and Abby!" Henry said.

"I'll save you some chicken," Will grinned.

"I'm being paid in chicken now," Henry said, "Could be worse."

They turned into Magnus's office.

"Yeah, think about Magnus," Will agreed.

"Yeah so what's the deal about Africa?" Henry asked as they approached her desk. "Or Monaco or wherever this guy's from?"

"She didn't tell you?" Will said in disbelief as he turned to face the HAP. "This guy Feliz , he lives on his plane."

"Shut up," Henry said in disbelief and excitement.

"Yeah," Will agreed excitedly. "He sends you the coordinates to some landing spot twenty-four hours in advance. In this case its some lawless island off the coast of Mozambique."

"So he never stays in one place for long," Henry said, thoughts whirring through his mind at a million miles.

"How Bond villain is that?" Will said.

"So he's our guy now?" Henry asked.

"Yeah, you want something kept hidden or off the grid, Richard Feliz is your man," Will said.

"Oh please," came a familiar drawl. The two geeking out men turned to see Tesla leaning against the doorframe, glass of wine predictably cradled in one hand. "I spent sixty years off the grid."

"You're just jealous because Magnus is off meeting this totally wicked sounding guy without you," Henry said.

"Careful, Fido," Nikola bit back as he pushed himself off the frame of the door and sauntered into the room. "I thought you would have learnt by now not to start games you can't win."

"Whatever, dude," Henry said, shaking his head. Will gave him a significant look, and Henry shook his head. He eventually relented and sighed. He had agreed to keep Tesla occupied while Will had his lunch with Abby after all. Nothing said mood killer like a depressed and snarky vampire. "But since we're already on the topic, I could..." he glanced at Will and gritted his teeth, "I could use your help down in my lab. There are some things I just can't seem to get to work and I promised the boss."

"Well now," Nikola grinned victoriously, "Good to know you can at least still recognise when you're out classed. You could learn a thing or two, junior." Tesla looked pointedly at Will, who rolled his eyes.

He refrained from antagonising the irritable vampire any further, however. He was simply grateful when Tesla followed Henry out of the office. Henry turned back and shot Will a look and Will nodded. Yes, he owed him. No doubt Tesla would be in Henry's hair for the next few hours lecturing him about anything that popped into his brilliant yet annoying mind.

\\\||

Some hours later, Nikola sat in Helen's office nursing his almost omni-present glass of red wine. He felt a definite loneliness without Helen nearby. He could still feel her on some level, and suspected they'd still be able to connect should the need arise via their bizarre dream-state, but it was different. Instead of sensing the chaotic melody of her thought process and emotions, he felt only a low thrum that reassured him of her presence in his mind. It was like a constant nagging in the back of his mind, not unpleasant, but still very much there. He got the occasional jolt of dull emotion, which he assumed to mean was a heightened emotion for her.

He hoped he wouldn't be getting too many of those, it didn't seem like it would be a good thing.

Up until a few years ago, he had lived in abject solitude. The best friend he'd ever had (and one of the very few) had been off limits as he lived out sixty years in exile. He rarely interacted when he could avoid it and preferred to remain holed up in a lab or whatever hole-in-the-wall he was staying at. His thoughts had all been his own.

He had been perfectly alright, at least he'd tried to convince himself. Of course he'd missed Helen like crazy, but it had been almost as torturous to watch her every day and never be able to hold her like he wanted, to kiss her lips like he craved.

Now he was fretting over the fact her thoughts weren't invading his own. He was so whipped.


End file.
